Cyclodextrin Based Nanosponges: Impending Carters in Drug Delivery and Nanotherapeutics

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are capable of including compounds hydrophilic or lipophilic, possessing geometry and polarity well-suited with their cavity. Cyclodextrinbased nanosponges (CD-NS), which are anticipated as a new-fangled nanosized delivery system, are ground-breaking hyper-crosslinked cyclodextrin polymers nanostructured within a three-dimensional network. These colloidal systems possess numerous nanocavities which embrace actives (active substances) and forms inclusion complexes; thereby enhancing solubility of drugs, ensuring sustained release for prolonged time and altering pharmacokinetic parameters to improve their bioavailability. As well, by altering the polymer to crosslinker ratios, desired size and release rate of these nanoporous systems can be achieved. Owing to their tiny size, shape and complexity; CD-NS are not only enormously competent for formulating into a wide range of dosage forms but also proficiently evade physicochemical degradation of actives. Development of nanosponges as drug delivery systems, particularly cyclodextrin based nanosponges is brought up in this review article. Efforts have been made to exemplify the characteristics of cyclodextrin based nanosponges along with their applications in pharmaceutical field and drug delivery. Special importance has been given on discussing the preparation methods, characterization techniques and prominent applications of these novel drug delivery carriers for therapeutic purposes.