International Journal of Nanomedicine (Nov 2020)
Biomedical Applications of Multifunctional Polymeric Nanocarriers: A Review of Current Literature
Abstract
Alicja Karabasz,1 Monika Bzowska,1 Krzysztof Szczepanowicz2 1Department of Cell Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; 2Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, PolandCorrespondence: Monika BzowskaDepartment of Cell Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 7 Gronostajowa Street, Kraków 30-387, PolandTel/Fax +48 12 664 63 88Email [email protected] SzczepanowiczJerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 8 Niezapominajek Street, Kraków 30-239, PolandTel/Fax +48 12 639 51 21Email [email protected]: 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: polymeric nanocarriers, biomedical application, anti-cancer, cancer immunotherapy, modern vaccines, regenerative medicine, lifestyle diseases – diabetes
