Polymer-based nanocontainers for drug delivery

The last decade has witnessed an extensive use of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers for biomedical applications. Concerning drug delivery the use of such polymers is of high importance among other types of polymers. The encapsulation of active molecules within a polymeric nanostructure yields many benefits such as enhanced drug bioavailability, sustained drug release, heightened drug efficiency, and a better control of drug targeting that by its turn are able to reduce the toxicity and side effects of the encapsulated molecule. In addition, encapsulation can protect the drug from natural barriers after administration, which permits a better control of the disease. In this work the preparation of polymeric nanocontainers was discussed, from the preparation methods used to their applications. Moreover, several methods for tweaking the particles were highlighted, the targeting strategies of the drug, and the effect of particles on the biodistribution was examined.