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Review
. 2020 Nov 6:15:8673-8696.
doi: 10.2147/IJN.S231477. eCollection 2020.

Biomedical Applications of Multifunctional Polymeric Nanocarriers: A Review of Current Literature

Alicja Karabasz  1 , Monika Bzowska  1 , Krzysztof Szczepanowicz  2
Affiliations
Review

Biomedical Applications of Multifunctional Polymeric Nanocarriers: A Review of Current Literature

Alicja Karabasz et al. Int J Nanomedicine. .

Abstract

Polymeric nanomaterials have become a prominent area of research in the field of drug delivery. Their application in nanomedicine can improve bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and, therefore, the effectiveness of various therapeutics or contrast agents. There are many studies for developing new polymeric nanocarriers; however, their clinical application is somewhat limited. In this review, we present new complex and multifunctional polymeric nanocarriers as promising and innovative diagnostic or therapeutic systems. Their multifunctionality, resulting from the unique chemical and biological properties of the polymers used, ensures better delivery, and a controlled, sequential release of many different therapeutics to the diseased tissue. We present a brief introduction of the classical formulation techniques and describe examples of multifunctional nanocarriers, whose biological assessment has been carried out at least in vitro. Most of them, however, also underwent evaluation in vivo on animal models. Selected polymeric nanocarriers were grouped depending on their medical application: anti-cancer drug nanocarriers, nanomaterials delivering compounds for cancer immunotherapy or regenerative medicine, components of vaccines nanomaterials used for topical application, and lifestyle diseases, ie, diabetes.

Keywords: anti-cancer; biomedical application; cancer immunotherapy; lifestyle diseases – diabetes; modern vaccines; polymeric nanocarriers; regenerative medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The main biomedical application of polymeric nanocapsules/nanocarriers.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic illustration of nanocarriers (A) nanocapsules (B) nanoparticle/nanospheres.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic representation of selected polymeric nanocarriers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic illustration of the layer by layer method.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Schematic illustration of the nanoprecipitation method. Nanocarriers are formed by polymer precipitation caused by organic solvent removal by evaporation or diffusion. Data from Weiss et al11 and Keech et al13.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Schematic illustration of the nanoemulsion templated methods. Nanocarriers are formed by polymer precipitation, interfacial phenomena, or coacervation caused by organic solvent removal by evaporation or diffusion. Data from Weiss et al11 and Keech et al13.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Schematic representation of water in oil in water (w/o/w) and oil in water in oil o/w/o emulsions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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