Nanosponges: A Revolutionary Platform for Targeted Drug Delivery and Therapeutic Applications

Abstract

Introduction

Nanosponges are innovative nano-sized, porous drug carriers with a sponge-like structure capable of encapsulating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Their high surface area and tunable porosity allow for sustained, controlled drug release, improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects.

Composition & Function: Typically made from cyclodextrins, hyper-crosslinked polymers, or biodegradable materials, nanosponges circulate in the bloodstream and accumulate at disease sites through passive (EPR effect) or active targeting (ligand-mediated). They can release drugs in response to stimuli like pH changes, enzymes, temperature, or redox conditions, ensuring precise delivery. After releasing drugs, biodegradable nanosponges degrade into harmless byproducts.

Advantages:

• High drug-loading capacity

• Controlled, sustained release reduces dosing frequency

• Targeted delivery minimizes toxicity

• Protect drugs from degradation

• Biocompatible and biodegradable

• Can co-deliver multiple drugs

• Stimuli-responsive release

• Applicable in cancer, infectious diseases, gene therapy, neurological disorders, and beyond

Disadvantages:

• Complex, expensive manufacturing

• Potential immunogenicity and toxicity, especially for non-biodegradable types

• Risk of premature drug leakage

• Targeting some diseases remains challenging

• Limited clinical translation due to regulatory hurdles

• Possible aggregation and stability issues

Applications:

• Cancer Therapy: Targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics with reduced side effects and overcoming drug resistance.

• Antibiotic Delivery: Penetrates bacterial biofilms to combat infections and resistance.

• Gene Therapy: Protects and delivers nucleic acids for gene silencing and vaccine development.

• Neurological Disorders: Crosses the blood-brain barrier to deliver neuroprotective drugs for diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Conclusion

Nanosponges have transformed the field of targeted drug delivery, offering controlled, site-specific, and efficient drug administration in various medical fields, including oncology, infectious diseases, neurology, cardiology, and dermatology. Their potential to improve drug bioavailability, reduce toxicity, and enhance therapeutic outcomes has positioned them as next-generation drug carriers. While scalability, biocompatibility, and regulatory challenges remain, ongoing research and technological advancements continue to refine nanosponge-based formulations, paving the way for their widespread clinical adoption in modern medicine and biotechnology.16,17,18,19

References

[1] Torne, S. J., Ansari, K. A., Vavia, P. R., Trotta, F., & Cavalli, R. (2010). Enhanced oral paclitaxel bioavailability after administration of paclitaxel-loaded nanosponges. Drug Delivery, 17(6), 419-425. [2] Yadav, G., &Panchory, H. (2013). Nanosponges: A boon to the targeted drug delivery system. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics, 3(4), 151-155. [3] Deshmukh, S. S., & Poddar, S. S. (2011). Solid porous microsphere: Emerging trend in pharmaceutical technology. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, 2(1), 364-377. [4] Selvamuthukumar, S., Anandam, S., Kannan, K., & Manavalan, R. (2012). Nanosponges: A novel class of drug delivery system—Review. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 15(1), 103-111. [5] Sharma, R., Walker, R. B., & Pathak, K. (2011). Evaluation of kinetics and mechanism of drug release from econazole nitrate nanosponges loaded carbopol hydrogel. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 45(1), 25-31. [6] Nacht, S., & Kantz, M. (1992). The microsponge: A novel topical programmable delivery system. In D. W. Osborne & A. H. Amann (Eds.), Topical Drug Delivery Systems (pp. 299-325). New York: Marcel Dekker. [7] Trotta, F., Cavalli, R., & Tumiatti, W. (2007). Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of cyclodextrin-based nanosponges. European Patent EP1786841A1. [8] Patel, G., & Patel, J. K. (2008). Use of a microsponge in drug delivery systems. Pharmaceutical Processing, 158. [9] Khopade, A. J., Jain, S., & Jain, N. K. (2012). The Microsponge. Eastern Pharmacist, 49-53. [10] Jain, N., Devi, V. K., Dang, R., & Bhosale, U. (2013). Microsponges—A novel drug delivery system. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 15(1), 103-111. [11] Vishwakarma, A., et al. (2014). Nanosponges: A beneficiation for novel drug delivery. International Journal of PharmTech Research, 6(1), 11-20. [12] Ambel, V., Shailendra, S., & Swarnalatha, S. (2008). Nanosponges: A novel drug delivery system. Journal of Inclusion Phenomena and Macrocyclic Chemistry, 62, 23-42. [13] Selvamuthukumar, S., et al. (2012). Nanosponges: A novel class of drug delivery system—Review. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 15(1), 103-111. [14] Ahmed, K. A., Bhargav, E., Reddy, K. R., & Sowmya, C. (2016). Nanosponges: A new approach for drug targeting. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Phytopharmacological Research, 6(3), 1-9 [15] Sharma, R., & Pathak, K. (2011). Nanosponges: An overview. International Journal of Drug Delivery, 3(3), 209-219. [16] Tambe, R. S., Battase, P. W., Arane, P. M., Palve, S. A., Talele, S. G., & Chaudhari, G. (2015). Review on nanosponges as a targeted drug delivery system. American Journal of PharmTech Research, 5(1), 215-224. [17] Jadhav, N. R., & Pawar, A. Y. (2013). Nanosponges: A novel drug delivery system. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 4(9), 3374-3380. [18] Kumar, P. M., & Sahoo, S. K. (2013). Nanosponges: A novel carrier for targeted drug delivery. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 5(4), 1-7. [19] Kumar, R., & Singh, A. P. (2013). Nanosponges: An innovative drug delivery system. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 19(2), 119-123.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Nivrutti Nikam, Bhushan Gurav, Mayuri Patil , Monika Suryawanshi . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.