Albumin microspheres. II: Applications in drug delivery

Abstract

Albumin microspheres are colloidal particles which are known to sustain the release of entrapped therapeutic agent(s). The rate at which these particles metabolise in vivo can be manoeuvred by varying their synthetic conditions. These particles alter the in vivo distribution of included drugs and hence this carrier has been extensively investigated for drug delivery and targeting in laboratory animals. Attempts have also been made to use this carrier for the delivery of anti-cancer agents in patients with liver cancer. This review is focused on the experimental and clinical applications of albumin microspheres in drug delivery. An account of the toxicological properties of these particles is also presented.