Chitosan Nanoparticles: A Versatile Platform for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Chitosan is a biodegradable and biocompatible natural polymer that has been extensively explored in recent decades. The Food and Drug Administration has approved chitosan for wound treatment and nutritional use. Furthermore, chitosan has paved the way for advancements in different biomedical applications including as a nanocarrier and tissue-engineering scaffold. Its antibacterial, antioxidant, and haemostatic properties make it an excellent option for wound dressings. Because of its hydrophilic nature, chitosan is an ideal starting material for biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogels. To suit specific application demands, chitosan can be combined with fillers, such as hydroxyapatite, to modify the mechanical characteristics of pH-sensitive hydrogels. Furthermore, the cationic characteristics of chitosan have made it a popular choice for gene delivery and cancer therapy. Thus, the use of chitosan nanoparticles in developing novel drug delivery systems has received special attention. This review aims to provide an overview of chitosan-based nanoparticles, focusing on their versatile properties and different applications in biomedical sciences and engineering.

Chitosan-Based Nano-Smart Drug Delivery System in Breast Cancer Therapy

“… A high degradation rate which ensures the material’s safety and its protection of the environment (eco-friendly properties) [ 76 ]. Polymers may also be hydrophobic and adhesive; high hydrophobicity prevents blood clotting during circulation [ 77 , 78 ]. …”

“…Polymers may also be hydrophobic and adhesive; high hydrophobicity prevents blood clotting during circulation [ 77 , 78 ].…”

“…These nanoparticles can be administered to the body via various routes such as oral, topical, or injection [ 78 , 88 , 89 ]. Upon administration, chitosan nanoparticles protect the encapsulated drugs from degradation and enhance their absorption and distribution [ 75 , 77 ].…”

Bio-Based Adhesives for Orthopedic Applications: Sources, Preparation, Characterization, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

“…There are several important groups of polysaccharides utilized as soft tissue adhesives and hemostatic materials, such as chitin, chitosan, dextran or chondroitin. These materials yield biocompatible and biodegradable adhesives that are composed of natural sugar building blocks that are easy to prepare and apply [21,[42][43][44][45]. A study reported the successful developed of novel biocompatible and degradable biopolymers based on a two-component bio-adhesive system (chitosan and starch).…”

Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles with Optimized Parameters for Targeted Delivery of a Specific Anticancer Drug—A Comprehensive Review

“…Chitosan (CS NPs) nanoparticles have several beneficial properties distinguishing them from other nanoparticles, i.e., facility of surface modification, the simple procedure of preparation, high structural stability, excellent solubility, and very good responsiveness to different stimuli [ 8 ]. CS NPs can be obtained using different techniques such as ionotropic gelation, the reverse micellar method, emulsion-droplet coalescence, precipitation, or spray drying [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. The interest in using chitosan nanoparticles in the delivery of anticancer drugs, results from the properties of chitosan combined with the effect of nanocarriers.…”