RESUMO
BACKGROUND:The new formulation and preparation technology of new drugs have become a hot spot for improving the utilization of polypeptides. In particular, the development of nanotechnology in recent years has promoted the clinical application of polypeptide drugs. OBJECTIVE:To review the current research of nanoparticles as carriers of polypeptide drugs for oral administration. METHODS:A computer-based search of CNKI database and SCI database was performed for relevant articles published from 1996 to 2014 by using the keywords of“protein, peptide drugs, nanoparticles, oral administration”in Chinese and English, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The encapsulation efficiency, release rate of drug delivery, stability of nanoparticles in the gastrointestinal tract and penetrability of the intestinal mucosa are determined by many factors, such as the kind, size, surface charge and modification of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles can increase the stability of protein drugs and improve the bioavailability of drugs. The targeting property of the nanoparticles can decrease the adverse reactions of some drugs. The release effect of the nanoparticles can decrease the dosage of drugs and increase the drug circulating time. However, there are stil many problems to be solved in nanotechnology:the activities of some protein drugs are lost in the preparation process;theencapsulation efficiency and drug loading need to be improved;protein burst release cannot be solved completely;the mass production of nanoparticles is stil difficult.