Application of polysaccharides for surface modification of nanomedicines

Abstract

Polysaccharides have been used in various biomedical applications due to availability and biocompatibility. In particular, polysaccharides have gained increasing interest in the development of functional nanomedicines as a component to provide a stealth function, improve interactions with target tissues or enable environment-responsive drug release. This review discusses recent advances in nanomedicine engineering based on polysaccharides with a specific emphasis on the rationale, applications and the remaining challenges.

Figure 1

Polysaccharides frequently used for surface modifications of nanomedicines.

Figure 2. Various types of polysaccharide-based nanoparticles

(A) Polysaccharide-forming layers on the nanoparticle surfaces via electrostatic interactions or physical adherence. (B) Self-assembly of a hydrophilic polysaccharide with hydrophobic grafts. (C) Nanoparticles made of conjugates of polysaccharides and synthetic polymers.