The properties of protein nanoparticles as carriers of bioactive compounds and their synthesis methods

In recent years, due to the numerous advantages of nanoparticles much attention has been devoted to nanotechnology. Nanoparticles are referred to as ultra-fine materials with at least one of their dimensions in the range of the nanoscale (1-100 nm). Reducing the particle size to the nanoscale will result in unique properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio in the particles which is not seen in particles with a larger scale. Protein nanoparticles are a group of biodegradable nanoparticles that are used for their various purposes such as drug delivery and bioactive compounds, due to their functional properties. The sensitivity of bioactive compounds to environmental and process conditions has led to the use of the nanotechnology as a novel approach to the transfer of these compounds. Coacervation/desolvation, emulsion/solvent extraction, complex coacervation and electrospray are commonly used in the synthesis of protein nanoparticles. In this study, we will briefly introduce these methods and describe the advantages of each them.

Keywords:

bioactive compound , drug delivery , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , protein