Exploring the unexplored avenues of surface charge in nano-medicine

Abstract Electrostatic interactions include weak attractive and repulsive interactions based on the magnitude and polarity of the charge the particle possess. These charges could play a substantial role if the concept of electrostatic interaction is applied in the field of nano-medicine. Surface charge is one of the most important armament of a researcher in the field of drug delivery. However, in recent times, not much attention has been paid to its attributes. Surface charge influences several processes like stability, drug delivery, cytotoxicity, bio-distribution, cell uptake, permeation of biological barriers, etc. This review highlights the importance of surface charge at the cellular and molecular level. We also emphasize on how a researcher can use surface charge to advance the current delivery systems in various desired applications.