Nanocapsulation ( English nanoencapsulation ) - a type of microencapsulation ; technology for enclosing biologically active substances in nanoscale shells based on biodegradable polymers and lipids.
Description
Microencapsulation is the process of encapsulating micron particles of solid, liquid or gaseous substances, the so-called encapsulate . The size of the particles enclosed in the microcapsule can vary widely, from 1 to 6500 microns, that is, to the size of small granules or capsules (6.5 mm). Microcapsules ranging in size from 100 to 600 microns found the widest application in medicine. Modern technology makes it possible to coat particles up to 100 nm or less. Such particles with shells are called nanocapsules , and the process of their production is called nanocapsulation.
Nanocapsulation is carried out using a number of physical, chemical and physicochemical methods, primarily by the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes, liposomes , evaporation of the solvent, controlled precipitation, layered deposition, processing in supercritical solutions, etc.
The development of ways to attach directed ligands to nanoparticles will help deliver biologically active substances to certain tissues. Further development of this technology will allow in the future to create fundamentally new drugs with a controlled therapeutic effect on certain tissues and organs.