Li J, et al. Molecules, 2018, 23(10). 2661.
Due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and structural variability, chitosan (CS) has long been studied as a therapeutic and diagnostic drug delivery vehicle. Here are some drug delivery research cases based on chitosan nanomaterials based on different administration routes.
· Oral Administration: Medications used for oral administration should be stable and not cause stomach problems. Santos et al designed a multifunctional and customizable composite system based on mucoadhesive chitosan for oral delivery of peptide drugs. Horcajada et al. developed a chitosan-coated mesoporous metal-organic framework (nanoMOF) as a promising oral delivery vehicle.
· Injectable drug delivery: Zhang et al. developed staged pH-responsive nanoparticles that release doxorubicin on demand. The nanoparticles contain pH-responsive dimethylmaleic acid and urocanic acid. In the slightly acidic extracellular environment of tumors, doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles were significantly taken up by tumor tissues. The acidic environment of the endo/lysosome then triggers the on-demand release of doxorubicin from the nanoparticles.
· Topical delivery: Katsarov et al formulated chemically cross-linked chitosan microparticles for nasal delivery. These particles were shown to have high affinity for mucin in vitro and significantly prolonged drug release.
