An important and exciting aspect in the newly developing field of nanomedicine is the use of nanoparticle drug delivery systems allowing for innovative therapeutic approaches. Due to their small size, these drug delivery systems are promising tools in therapeutic approaches such as selective or targeted drug delivery towards a specific tissue or organ, enhanced drug transport across biological barriers, and intracellular drug delivery.

This timely book provides an overview of possible therapeutic applications. The first part of the book highlights general properties of and phenomena observed with nanoparticles, and the subsequent consequences for applications in drug delivery. The second part focuses on the therapeutic approaches that are possible through the use of nanoparticles, with each chapter discussing a specific disease (e.g. diabetes, cancer, inflammation, etc.) and the relevant therapeutic approaches based on the design of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems. Written in a concise manner, readers will gain an insight into the basics of nanoparticle preparation as well as a more detailed account of what is therapeutically feasible by using nanoparticle approaches.

Contents: General Aspects of Nanotherapeutics: Nanocarriers in Drug Delivery - Design, Manufacture and Physicochemical Properties (C Schmidt & A Lamprecht); Transport Across Biological Barriers (N Nafee et al.); Targeting Approaches (S Cammas-Marion); Disease-Related Approaches by Nanotherapeutics: Nanoscale Cancer Therapeutics (Y Pellequer & A Lamprecht); Nanotherapeutics for Skin Diseases (N Atrux-Tallau et al.); Nanoparticles for Oral Vaccination (J M Irache et al.); Nanoparticles: Therapeutic Approaches for Bacterial Diseases (B Moulari); Nanoparticle Therapy in Parasites Diseases: Possibility and Reality! (M Larabi); Nanocarriers in the Therapy of Inflammatory Disease (A Lamprecht).