Natural polysaccharides and their derivatives as potential medical materials and drug delivery systems for the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries

Peripheral nerve repair following injury is one of the most serious problems in neurosurgery. Clinical outcomes are often unsatisfactory and associated with a huge socioeconomic burden. Several studies have revealed the great potential of biodegradable polysaccharides for improving nerve regeneration. We review here the prom-ising therapeutic strategies involving different types of polysaccharides and their bio-active composites for promoting nerve regeneration. Within this context, polysaccharide materials widely used for nerve repair in different forms are highlighted, including nerve guidance conduits, hydrogels, nanofibers and films. While nerve guidance conduits and hydrogels were used as main structural scaffolds, the other forms including nanofibers and films were generally used as additional supporting materials. We also discuss the issues of ease of therapeutic implementation, drug release properties and therapeutic outcomes, together with potential future directions of research.

Automated summary

Peripheral nerve repair is a serious problem in neurosurgery, with poor clinical outcomes and significant socioeconomic burden. Biodegradable polysaccharides show great potential for improving nerve regeneration. This review focuses on the promising therapeutic strategies involving different types of polysaccharides and their composites for promoting nerve regeneration, highlighting their applications in nerve guidance conduits, hydrogels, nanofibers, and films. The ease of therapeutic implementation, drug release properties, therapeutic outcomes, and future research directions are also discussed.