Table 2.

Nanoparticle types, characteristics, benefits, and application.

Nanoparticle type	Characteristics	Benefits	Applications
Liposomes	Spherical structures made of a lipid bilayer that encapsulates drugs and protects them from degradation. They are biocompatible and can be easily functionalized with targeting moieties for a specific delivery.	Can encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, biodegradable and biocompatible; can target specific tissues	Drug delivery, gene therapy, vaccine delivery
Dendrimers	Highly branched, monodisperse nanoscale polymers that can be used as drug carriers. They are highly customizable, with a range of sizes, surface functionalities, and drug-loading capacities.	Can be designed to have specific sizes and shapes, high drug loading capacity; can target specific tissues	Drug delivery, gene therapy, imaging
Polymeric nanoparticles	Made from biodegradable polymers that can encapsulate drugs and protect them from degradation. They are often used for the sustained release of drugs over a period of time.	Can encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs; can be functionalized with targeting ligands or imaging agents, biocompatible	Drug delivery, gene therapy, imaging
Metal nanoparticles	Including gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and AgNP, have unique optical, electronic, and thermal properties that make them attractive for use in drug delivery. They can be functionalized with targeting moieties for a specific delivery.	Unique optical and magnetic properties; can be functionalized with targeting ligands or imaging agents; biocompatible	Imaging, cancer therapy, biosensors
Solid lipid nanoparticles:	Made of solid lipids and are used to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs. They offer a number of advantages over other types of nanoparticles, including stability, biocompatibility, and improved bioavailability.	Can encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, biocompatible; can be functionalized with targeting ligands or imaging agents	Drug delivery, cosmetic, and personal care products