This chapter provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in nanomaterials for drug delivery, focusing on the design and preparation of nanocarriers. It also dissects the intricate mechanisms underpinning drug loading and release, and delves into the strategic planning inherent in achieving target delivery. It further outlines the potential applications of these nanomaterials in treating various diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, and neurological disorders. A distinct case study is incorporated into the chapter, elucidating the promising utility of electrospun nanofibers in drug delivery paradigms. In its concluding remarks, the chapter engages in a thoughtful discourse about the persistent challenges within this rapidly evolving field. It also forecasts the potential trajectories for future exploration and innovation in the captivating domain of nanomaterials for drug delivery.
TopIntroduction
The emergence of nanomaterials signifies a pivotal transformation in drug delivery systems, largely attributable to their unique physicochemical attributes. These include an elevated surface-to-volume ratio, superior biocompatibility, and the ability to encapsulate a variety of drugs—both hydrophilic and hydrophobic (Dutt et al., 2023). The employment of nanomaterial properties for drug delivery has instigated a transformative shift in the medical sciences, enabling the precise delivery of therapeutics to targeted cells, tissues, and organs while minimizing off-target effects (H. Zhu et al., 2024). Recent strides in nanotechnology have resulted in the inception of innovative nanomaterials that are characterized by improved drug-loading capacity, controlled release kinetics, and enhanced targeting precision (Al-Awsi et al., 2024). Among the diverse types of nanomaterials, lipid-based nanocarriers, polymer-based nanoparticles, inorganic nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, and nanofibers have undergone extensive study for their potential applicability in drug delivery systems (Gautam et al., 2023; Prajapati et al., 2023; Xu & Chow, 2023). These nanomaterials’ strengths lie in their capacity to facilitate targeted drug delivery, modulate release rates, and optimize pharmacokinetics. Conceptualizing and fabricating nanomaterials for drug delivery requires a comprehensive understanding of their physicochemical characteristics, including size, shape, surface charge, and biocompatibility (Mokhtar et al., 2023). To develop nanomaterials that are both safe and effective for drug delivery, a nuanced understanding of the interactions between these materials and biological systems is essential, along with an awareness of potential toxicological implications (Dutt et al., 2023).
This chapter aims to provide an overview of recent advances in nanomaterials for drug delivery. It scrutinizes the design and synthesis processes of nanomaterials, considers biocompatibility and toxicity, and explores applications of these materials within the domain of drug delivery. An illustrative case study on the use of electrospun nanofibers for drug delivery is also presented, underscoring the potential of this technique for the sustained release of therapeutic agents. To achieve a comprehensive analysis of the advances in nanomaterials for drug delivery, a search was performed across the Scopus database. As a premier abstract and citation database encompassing peer-reviewed research literature, Scopus offers a treasure trove of information that can be tapped to enrich one’s understanding of this specialized domain (Yingngam, 2023a).