Magnesium, zinc and calcium aluminium layered double hydroxide-drug nanohybrids: A comprehensive study

Abstract This review highlights a comprehensive study of three different layer double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles, e.g., MgAl-LDH, ZnAl-LDH and CaAl-LDH, w.r.t their biological and physicochemical (in vitro and in vivo) properties to encapsulate and deliver drugs with known pharmacokinetic profile in a sustained/modified manner for better therapeutic efficacy compared to the corresponding conventional treatments using bare drugs. With variable chemical compositions and high positive charge density in the brucite layers, these layered materials are potent anion exchangers and can accommodate plethora of drugs in the reactive interlayer space through ex situ anion exchange process. The tunable surface chemistry and tailor made particle size of the drug-LDH nanohybrid as above, facilitates their easy internalization in the diseased cell through endocytosis/fluid phase pinocytosis and thereby, delivery of the payload at the target site. Further, the biocompatibility and pH dependent biodegradability of the MgAl-LDH, ZnAl-LDH and CaAl-LDH nanovehicles are added advantages for their application not only in nanodrug delivery/nanomedicine but also in much futuristic area of molecular medicine involving the delivery of oligonucleotides/gene for the possibility of recovery of some of the deadly diseases of the recent times, with a prospect of zero/near zero adverse effects.