Evaluation of Lung Toxicity of Biodegradable Nanoparticles

Biodegradable nanoparticles display high therapeutic potentialities for drug delivery to or through the lungs. However, their interactions with lung cells can be assimilated to the ones described for particulate matter or inorganic manufactured nanoparticles. This is the reason why we discuss in the following chapter, the behavior of nanoparticles towards the different parts of the respiratory tract and the different models and tests that can be carried out to investigate the potential damaging effects of nanoparticles. Taken all together, the different studies using various experimental approaches (in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo) conclude on no or slight toxicity of nanoparticles intended for nanomedicines.