New technologies for the preparation of micro- and nanostructured materials with potential applications in drug delivery and clinical diagnostics

• Autores: M. Muntó, S. Sala, M. Cano, M. Gimeno, N. Ventosa, Jaume Veciana i Miró
• Localización: Contributions to Science, ISSN-e 1575-6343, Vol. 3, Nº. 1, 2005, págs. 11-18
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Abstract Obtaining new micro- and nanostructured molecular materials, and understanding how to manipulate existing materials at the nanoscopic level, is crucial to the development of drug delivery and clinical diagnostics. Advances in the preparation of materials charac terised by exceptional properties attributable to their nanoscopic structure, such as nanosuspensions, nanospheres, nanoparticulate composites, etc., can significantly contribute to reducing the toxicity of drugs and contrast agents, increase their absorption, and improve their release profile. However, in order to be able to exploit the enormous potential of these nanomedicines, it is necessary to develop efficient a nd environmentally respectful technologies for its manufacture at an industrial scale. In this review, we endeavour to present various recent eco-efficient precipitation procedures, which have been proved to be effective for the straightforward preparation of micro- and nanoparticula te materials. In these procedures, instead of hazardous organic solvents, <> compressed fluids are used as solvent media, which allow the preparation of materials with physico-chemical characteristics unachiev able by conventional procedures performed in conventional liquid media.