of different combinations like metal-based, organic-based or carbon-based NPs

(Rane et al. 2018).

The drugs can be loaded on the NPs structure either by adsorption of drug on the

surface or encapsulating them on NPs. Network of polymer can protect the drugs

from degrading because of the enzymes secreted by the body. Drugs from the NPs

can be released through various enzymatic degradation of the polymer, hydrolysis of

the polymeric network, diffusion or by combination of different mechanisms.

26.5

Lipopeptide in NP Structure

Main failure of the anticancer drugs in the treatment purpose is due to distribution of

drugs in the body at random sites and drawback of not being site-specific, which

leads to very less effect of the complete dose of the drug given, resulting in the cause

of excessive toxicity to the normal cells, too. Thus, in advanced searches, use or the

research over NPs is showing utmost importance because of high drug loading

capacity, better cancer targeting, improved bioavailability, prolonged circulation

time and ease of manipulating drug release (Yu et al. 2010). By the morality of the

nanosize, these particles are able to get collected at the specific site of cancerous cells

due to the EPR effect. Blood vessels around the tumour cells are very poorly formed

due to very fast growth of cancer cells which allows the passing of the NPs.

However, if recognized by reticuloendothelial system, these NPs may get flushed

out of the body; thus to minimize this risk, surfactin along with polyethylene glycol

solution has been used. At the time of cancer treatment, several receptors are

overexpressed which may be helpful in cancer targeting and thus offer higher

amount of dose to the cancer cells (Morachis et al. 2012).

26.6

NP-Associated Lipopeptides

Perspective of NP-associated LPs not only comes from being cytotoxic agent but

have several other roles when transformed in nanoparticle state. LPs like surfactin

carrying biosurfactant properties such as amphiphilic structure and surface-active

properties make them most suitable for transformation in nanoparticle state. Poly-

meric micelles, liposomes and noisome are the most acceptable form because of

presence of their hydrophobic/hydrophilic core shell structure, and micro- and nano-

type of emulsions are the options in which surfactin can be dispersed easily into

nano-formulation. In several microemulsions, surfactin may act as an agent of

anticancerous activities.

Scientists are using surfactin molecules because of their self-incorporation

activities. They can be used as building blocks for several types of NPs such as

micelles, liposomes, etc. Surfactin NPs are playing tremendous role because of the

surface-active activity and the amphiphilic structure. Surfactin-loaded polyvinyl

alcohol (PVA) nanofibres have been used as they bear the antiseptic properties and

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V. Chauhan et al.