Abstract

Rakshitha S.*, J. Adlin Jino Nesalin, E. Gopinath, Ganesh N. S. and Vineeth Chandy

ABSTRACT

Nanosponges are a novel and emerging branch of pharmaceutical nanotechnology that is widely acknowledged for its potential to offer new tools, opportunities, and scope to combine properties that are challenging to achieve by using medicine alone. The development of nanosponges (NSs) has proven to be a crucial step in solving the issues with traditional drug administration. Nanosponges are microscopic sponges that resemble viruses in size and may hold a wide range of drugs within them. These microscopic sponges can move throughout the body until they come into contact with the precise target area, adhere to the surface, and start releasing the drug in a regulated and predictable way. The aqueous solubility of these sponges is another noteworthy feature that makes it possible to use these systems efficiently for drugs with low solubility. Nanosponge delivery systems were originally developed for topical drug delivery, and can now be used for controlled oral drug delivery using water-soluble and biodegradable polymers. This method provides ingredient entrapment, which reduces adverse effects and improves stability, elegance, and formulation flexibility. Moreover, biocatalysts like proteins, enzymes, vaccines, and antibodies can be carried and released via parenteral, topical, aerosol, and oral routes using nanosponges. This review covers a broad overview of nanosponges, their classification, their distinguishing characteristics, their benefits and drawbacks, the chemicals used in their preparation, the preparation processes, the variables influencing their preparation, their mechanism of action, evaluation parameters, and a few instances of their use in oral drug delivery systems.