Table 2. Types of LBNPs and a comparison between them.

	Liposomes	LNP	SLN	NLC
Composition	The bilayer structure of anionic and neutral phospholipids is mainly composed of cholesterol and phospholipids surrounding an aqueous internal core	It comprises cationic and/or ionizable lipids stabilized by a phospholipid monolayer containing a PEGylated lipid and sterol	Its outer layer comprises surfactants and/or co-surfactants encapsulating solid lipids. The latter is characterized by a low melting point and solidness at ambient and body temperature, offering enhanced protection of the entrapped drug compared to liposomes	Its outer layer comprises surfactants and/or co-surfactants encapsulating both solid and liquid lipids
Cargo	Hydrophobic or hydrophilic small molecules, especially siRNA and oligonucleotides	Oligonucleotides, mainly nucleic acids	Hydrophobic or hydrophilic small molecules, especially siRNA and oligonucleotides	Hydrophobic or hydrophilic small molecules
Advantages	Convenient to deliver drugs with different characteristics and have a high loading capacity	Effective nucleic acid delivery and easily synthesized	High stability and a long duration of drug release	Solid and liquid lipids lead to a less-ordered, imperfect structure, ensuring better stability and reducing the tendency to leak the drug prematurely during storage
Disadvantages	Low stability	Limited drug load, high uptake in the liver and spleen	Limited drug loading capacity	Expensive
References	54	55 and 56	59 and 57	57 and 58