Nano Lipid Carriers: A Novel Approach for Nose to Brain Drug Delivery

A nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) is a nanoparticulate carrier system consisting of solid lipids, liquid lipids, surfactants, and water. NLCs are second-generation lipid nanocarriers, gained continuous significance in recent times, and possess better physical stability, increased drug loading, improved permeability, and bioavailability. They are considered superior to many other traditional lipid-based nanocarriers such as nanoemulsion, liposomes, and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and have emerged as an alternative to first-generation nanoparticles (SLN). NLCs have significant potential in the pharmaceutical industry due to their extensive beneficial effects, like drug targeting, enhanced bioavailability, and their wide positive benefits. The primary aim of this review was to study and explore the Nano lipid carrier, its advantages, patent preferences, and advancement of NLCs use in nose-to-brain drug delivery The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review on the development of NLC for nose-to-brain drug delivery. The review focused on NLC, its significant role in nose-to-brain delivery, and relevant patents. To achieve this goal, different review articles searched, were studied, and summarized from various sources such as research articles, review articles, books, scientific reports, and patents. This review article discusses the potential benefits of NLCs in brain-targeting drug delivery through the intranasal route and key aspects of NLCs, including their structure composition, formulation technique, and characterization, which are crucial for developing a reliable drug delivery.