Starch nanoparticles in drug delivery: A review

The uptake and specificity of drugs and the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs has been improved by means of targeted drug delivery using nanoparticles. Many platforms have been used for nanoparticulate drug delivery and these include liposomes, polymer conjugates, metallic nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, nanoshells, and protein and nucleic acid-based nanoparticles. Starch is the 2nd most abundant natural polymer and has found wide use in drug delivery systems as binder, disintegrant and filler. However, its application is limited by the poor functional properties of native starch. Starch nanocrystals of different shapes and sizes can be obtained based on the starch origin and isolation process involved. Nanocrystals with varying morphology have been reported; from nanocrystals of platelet-like shaped waxy maize starch with 5-7 nm thickness and 15-40 nm diameters, to those with round and grape-like shape from potato starch granules, with sizes ranging from 40 nm to 100 nm. This review describes different methods of obtaining starch nanoparticles, their modification and application in drug delivery.