Human Serum Albumin: A Novel Drug Delivery Carrier System

Serum albumin, often referred to simply as albumin, is a globular protein that in humans is encoded by the ALB gene. Albumin is a multifaceted, highly soluble, stable, nontoxic, non-poisonous, biocompatible and biodegradable plasma protein. Albumin has been widely studied as a protein carrier for drug delivery. Because of its versatile nature, it can also be used for the delivery of the hormones, metals and fatty acids by binding to its specific binding sites. Various studies revealed that albumin can be used to increase the circulating half-life and bioavailability of drug molecules which are smaller than the renal filtration threshold and are rapidly lost from the circulation leading to limiting therapeutic potential. This review article presents advantages, disadvantages, functions, importance, different nanoparticles that can be crowned with an albumin and the special features of albumin as a drug carrier, and how the understanding of these features is currently being employed to optimize the circulatory half-life albumin.