Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems and Analytical Methods
Summary
Nanoparticle-based drug delivery harnesses engineered carriers—such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles and solid lipid nanoparticles—to improve the precision, efficacy and safety of therapeutics. By encapsulating active agents within nanoscale matrices, these systems achieve controlled release, enhanced circulation time and targeted transport to diseased tissues, from solid tumours to sites of infection or inflammation. Stimuli-responsive formulations exploit variations in pH, temperature or enzymatic activity to trigger local drug release, while surface modifications (for instance with polyethylene glycol or targeting ligands) prolong systemic residence and promote selective uptake. Analytical methods are indispensable throughout development and clinical translation. High-performance chromatographic techniques quantify drug loading, release kinetics and biodistribution; spectrometric approaches, including tandem mass spectrometry, provide sensitivity down to sub-nanogram levels in complex biological matrices; and separation strategies such as size exclusion chromatography, monolithic column chromatography and ultrafiltration permit discrimination between free and encapsulated drug. Together, these innovations underpin the global effort to deliver precision medicine with reduced off-target effects and improved patient outcomes.
Research from Nature Portfolio
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Research from all publishers
Recent work has advanced both carrier design and quantification techniques. A 2024 study introduced an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay to monitor the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of a novel albumin-binding prodrug. This method achieved high selectivity and sensitivity for both the prodrug and its metabolites in plasma, tumour and organ samples, revealing enhanced tumour exposure and reduced cardiac and renal accumulation relative to conventional doxorubicin.
In 2025, researchers developed a poly-Lysine-modified monolithic column for rapid separation of 100 nm nanoparticles by high-performance liquid chromatography. By tuning surface coverage of the poly-Lysine ligand and applying gradient elution, two distinct nanoparticle formulations—anticancer liposomal particles and extracellular vesicles—were baseline-resolved within ten minutes, offering a robust tool for routine quality control of larger nanosystems.
A 2022 high-throughput fluorescence-detection method facilitated simultaneous quantification of doxorubicin and its metabolites in rat urine following administration of various nanoformulations. The optimised HPLC-fluorescence protocol demonstrated excellent linearity, precision and low limits of quantification, enabling comparative pharmacokinetic analyses across liposomal, polymeric and solution preparations and supporting the evaluation of novel carriers in preclinical studies.
Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems and Analytical Methods publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems and analytical methods across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Liposome: A spherical vesicle composed of one or more phospholipid bilayers, used to encapsulate hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs.
Polymeric nanoparticle: A solid colloidal particle, typically 10–1000 nm in diameter, formed from biodegradable or biocompatible polymers to deliver active agents.
Zeta potential: The electric potential at the nanoparticle surface, indicating colloidal stability and influencing interactions with biological membranes.
UHPLC-MS/MS: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, a highly sensitive analytical technique for quantifying compounds in complex samples.
Size exclusion chromatography: A separation method that discriminates molecules or particles based on hydrodynamic size by passage through porous gel beads.
References
- UHPLC-MS/MS Assay for Quantification of Legubicin, a Novel Doxorubicin-Based Legumain-Activated Prodrug, and Its Application to Pharmacokinetic and Tissue Distribution Studies. Molecules (2024).
- Separation of 100 nm-sized nanoparticles using a poly-Lys-modified monolith column. RSC Advances (2025).
- High-Throughput Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Doxorubicin Metabolites in Rat Urine after Treatment with Different Drug Nanoformulations. Molecules (2022).
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