Recent advances in dextran-based drug delivery systems: From fabrication strategies to applications

As a natural polysaccharide, dextran and its derivatives have gained great attention in the development of delivery systems for pharmaceutical and medical applications. In recent years, numerous dextran-based delivery systems with tailor properties and geometries have been developed, including self-assembled micelles and nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, magnetic nanoparticles, microparticles, and hydrogels. The first part of this review discusses the physicochemical properties of dextran and its various derivatives via chemical modifications, as pertinent to the preparation of delivery systems. Then, the state-of-the-art fabrication strategies of dextranbased delivery systems and their colloidal properties, i.e. particle diameter, surface charge, morphology, as well as release profiles, are highlighted. Lastly, applications of dextran-based drug delivery systems in biomedicine are explicitly summarized with detailed elaborations on their biological efficacy and mechanism of action, including cancer treatment, magnetic resonance imaging, insulin oral delivery, spinal cord injury therapy, and bacterial skin infection treatment.

Automated summary

Dextran and its derivatives have attracted significant attention in the development of delivery systems for pharmaceutical and medical applications. Various dextran-based delivery systems have been developed with tailored properties and geometries, showing potential for diverse biomedical applications. Research focuses on the physicochemical properties of dextran, fabrication strategies, and their applications in biomedicine.