Importancia de los sistemas lipídicos nanoparticulares (SLN) en preparados dermatolÓgicos

Nowadays, the solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) are an important alternative to the different colloidal drug carrier systems: microemulsions, liposomes and polymeric micro and nanoparticles. The SLN have been used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. They offer clear advantages when drugs are administered by topical application, that include: protection of chemically labile compounds, drug control release, occlusion effect on skin and protective barrier against the harmful UV radiation. Nevertheless, they also present some disadvantages, such as the limited drug loading capacity and the burst release of the active compound during the storage period. In this review several features are analyzed in detail, including the composition of the SLN, the high pressure homogenization technique, the mechanisms implicated in drug release and the systems applications in dermatologic fields.