Cellulose-based Nanocarriers as Platforms for Cancer Therapy

Current Pharmaceutical Design
Ling-Yan MengJie-Fang Zhu

Abstract

Cellulose is an important environmentally-friendly renewable polymer on the earth. Cellulose has been widely used as feedstocks for the synthesis of biomaterials, biofuels and biochemicals. Recently, cellulose and cellulose derivatives have received intense attention in biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, scaffold, artificial blood vessel, skin grafts, artificial skin, drug carrier, and chronic skin diseases, many of which are somehow related to cancer therapy. In this mini-review, we focus on the up-to-date development of cellulosebased nanocarriers used for cancer therapy. Various cellulose-based nanocarriers such as bacterial cellulose (BC), cellulose acetate, microcrystalline cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrills, etc, are reviewed in terms of being used in drug delivery systems for cancer treatment. Different strategies for the synthesis of cellulose-based nanocarriers are summarized. Special attention is paid on the structure and properties of cellulose-based drug carriers for cancer therapy via some representative examples. Finally, the problems and future developments of these promising polymeric nanocarriers are raised and proposed.

Citations


❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Biofuels (ASM)

Biofuels are produced through contemporary processes from biomass rather than geological processes involved in fossil fuel formation. Examples include biodiesel, green diesel, biogas, etc. Discover the latest research on biofuels in this feed.

Breast Cancer: Therapeutic Approaches

Several different therapeutic approaches are used to treat breast cancer. These include chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, and Immunotherapy. Discover the latest research on breast cancer therapeutic approaches here.