Abstract

The main challenge in cancer chemotherapy is toxic side-effects induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. Thus, alternative methods of drug administration like appropriate drug carrier system is needed to overcome this problem. The main objective of new drug delivery systems is to improve the anti-tumor efficacy of drug and reduce their toxic effects on normal tissues. Recently Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN) as colloidal particulate drug delivery system have received much attention from drug development researchers. The use of solid lipid nanoparticle opens up new perspectives for the formulation of poorly soluble drugs. The SLN is a very complex system with some advantages and disadvantages over other colloidal carrier systems. Tamoxifen, an antiestrogen molecule and strong hydrophobic drug is used as a chemotherapy drug against breast cancers. When tamoxifen encapsulated within solid lipid nanoparticles, it is like free TAM display antitumoral activity against human breast cancer cells. The biological availability of drug is not affected when incorporated into SLN. Therefore SLN could be applied as a drug delivery system for cancer treatments.

Key words: Drug delivery systems, solid lipid nanoparticles.