Lung toxicity of biodegradable nanoparticles

Abstract

Biodegradable nanoparticles exhibit high potentialities for local or systemic drug delivery through lung administration making them attractive as nanomedicine carriers. However, since particulate matter or some inorganic manufactured nanoparticles exposed to lung cells have provoked cytotoxic effects, inflammatory and oxidative stress responses, it becomes important to investigate nanomedicine toxicity towards the lungs. This is the reason why, in the present review, the behavior of biodegradable nanoparticles towards the different parts of the respiratory tract as well as the toxicological consequences, measured on several models in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo, are described. Taken all together, the different studies carried out so far conclude on no or slight toxicity of biodegradable nanoparticles.