Nanotechnology for Diabetes: A Review

World Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences ISSN (Print): 2321-3310; ISSN (Online): 2321-3086 Published by Atom and Cell Publishers © All Rights Reserved Available online at: http://www.wjpsonline.org/ Review Article

Nanotechnology for Diabetes: A Review S. Kumdhavalli, P. Mayavathi, S. Monisha, T. Geetha Priya, V. Prathiba* Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, KK College of Pharmacy, Chennai, India-600128 Received: 03-05-2016 / Revised: 15-06-2016 / Accepted: 24-06-2016 / Published: 26-06-2016

ABSTRACT This review article discusses the potential applications of nanoparticles and BioMEMS as drug delivery systems for diabetes treatment. This manuscript discusses polymeric nanoparticles, oral insulin administration using polysaccharides and polymeric nanoparticles, inhalable insulin nanoparticles formulations, and insulin delivery using BioMEMS. In addition polymeric nanoparticles and treatment of diabetes –associated symptoms are discussed. There are a few limitations in the use of conventionally available drug delivery systems for diabetes treatment. This article reviews the subject in brief with suitable references to original research articles and review articles on earlier and current research findings about various types of nanoparticles and BioMEMS in diabetes treatment and their limitations. Key words: Nanotechnology, diabetes, nanoparticles, nanomedicine, BioMEMS, insulin

INTRODUCTION Nanotechnology can be defined as the science and engineering involved in the design, synthesis, characterization and application of materials and devices whose smallest functional organization in at least one dimension is on the nanometer scale (one-billionth of a meter)[1-3].When this science is applied specifically to the problems of medicine, it is called ‘Nanomedicine’[4,5].The nanomedicine scale limitations excludes at the lower end atoms (0.1 nm) and at the upper end biological entities such as bacteria (1000–10000 nm) and body cells (eg. White blood cell 10000 nm).Human body has configured many of its biocomponents as nanostructures, including proteins, mitochondria, ion channels, membranes, secretory granules, lysosomes and so on, but many new nanomaterials and structures are now being manufactured that might be of use in medicine, such as nanoparticles, capsules, films and tubes, and complex molecules( e.g. fullerenes)[6].Nanomedicine can be classified into (a) measurement (or ‘nanometrology’), which concerns either measuring very small amounts of analytes (e.g. microphysiometer) or using very small sized devices for measuring (e.g. Quantum dots). For example, a quantum dot is about the same size as a small protein (