title: Nanoparticles as delivery carriers for anticancer prodrugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prodrugs are inactive compounds which are metabolized in the body to produce parent active agents. It has been shown that prodrugs hold some advantages over conventional drugs, such as increased solubility, improved permeability and bioavailability, reduced adverse effects and prolonged half-lives. Optimization of the vehicles used is very important in order to employ the advantages of prodrugs. Nanocarriers are currently being widely used as prodrug vehicles because of their ability to enhance storage stability, modulate prodrug release and tumor-targeted delivery and protect against enzymatic attack. This combined approach of prodrugs and nanoparticles has a particular attraction for developing anticancer therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper discusses liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles and lipid nanoparticles, which are all carriers commonly used for prodrug encapsulation. Macromolecular prodrugs can spontaneously form self-assembled nanoparticles with no intervention of other additives. This review also describes recent developments in prodrug delivery using nanoparticulate strategies. Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and cytotoxicity evaluations of anticancer prodrugs are systematically elucidated in this review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More profiles involved in animal and clinical studies will encourage the future applicability of prodrug nanocarrier therapy. The possible toxicity associated with nanoparticles is a concern for development of prodrug delivery.
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung University, Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Pharmaceutics Laboratory, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan. fajy@mail.cgu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Jia-You
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Saleh A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Al-Suwayeh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001682:Biological Availability; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008081:Liposomes; D011355:Prodrugs