Advances in nanoparticles as drug delivery systems: A review

• Research gaps to improve the effectiveness of nanoparticle-based drug delivery for illnesses. • Fixed ligands to the surface of nanocarriers to improve absorption and targetability. • The clinical translation of lipid-based nanoparticles as drug delivery systems is slow. • The long-term effects and potential toxicity of using inorganic nanoparticles. • Understanding the precise interaction mechanisms between nanoparticles and biological systems. The use of nanoparticles in the pharmaceutical sector as drug carriers is rapidly growing, with many benefits over conventional drug delivery procedures. These nanoscale carriers are composed of biodegradable biocompatible materials, delivering therapeutic agents to the target with precise control and mitigating unwanted side effects. Despite numerous reports, many research gaps remain; thus, opportunities to improve the specificity and effectiveness of nanoparticle-based drug delivery for various illnesses, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, and central nervous system (CNS) disorders, are identified. The advances in nanoparticle-based drug delivery and their tremendous potential for revolutionising how drugs are delivered to treat disease are discussed. This review provides an overview of the various types of nanoparticles, including lipid-based, polymeric, natural polymers, and inorganic nanoparticles, which are being developed with their unique physical and chemical characteristics. It also reveals the strategies employed to enhance the targeting efficacy and stability of these nanoscale carriers in nanomedicine. The advantages, mechanisms, future direction, and drawbacks of each nanoparticle-based drug delivery system in target therapy and personalised medicine are well reviewed. Thus, addressing the identified gaps will be crucial for the clinical translation of nanoparticle-based therapeutics.