Aquasomes: The Journey So Far and the Road Ahead

Abstract: The development of aquasomes is one of the most remarkable milestones in the progress of ceramic nanoparticles. Though the use of ceramic nanoparticles in medicine has been documented since time immemorial in the form of Bhasmas, they have lately been recognized for their application in bone tissue engineering, dentistry, and later in drug delivery. In a recent advancement, ceramic nanoparticles have been designed with a coating of carbohydrates onto which the peptide drug molecules are adsorbed. This helps in preventing the denaturation of therapeutic bio-molecules. These three layered structures have been christened “Aquasomes”, which have been successfully tried for in vivo delivery of peptides, proteins, antigens and other drugs. They comprise a central solid nanocrystalline core, coated with polyhydroxy oligomers, upon which biologically active molecules are adsorbed. The solid core provides the structural stability whereas the carbohydrate coating protects against dehydration. This chapter is an update on the advancement in the development of aquasomes. We also discuss future trends and promises albeit with a clear understanding of the limitations of this delivery system.