Functionalization of marine materials for drug delivery systems

TLDR: This chapter will specifically focus on applications of chitosan and alginate-based hydrogels and nanosytems for delivery of drugs, highlighting the features of these delivery systems from the viewpoint of a formulator.

Abstract: Drug delivery systems (DDSs) are designed to deliver the drug at right concentration at right site, at right time, at desired period of time. Numerous natural and synthetic polymers have been investigated for development of such systems. Marine polymers, mainly chitosan and alginate, have found wide applications in drug delivery due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. In order to obtain a delivery system with desired properties such as particle size, release rate, degradation rate, etc., it is important to well characterize and control the properties of these polymers. Furthermore, their standardization is also important to assure the quality of the DDS in regard to regulatory aspect. It is possible to tailor a suitable delivery system by choosing the right polymer type (such as molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, charge, solubility, polymer blocks, etc.), using derivative of these polymers or combining with other polymers. Wide range of delivery systems such as tablets, gels, films, sponges, and micro- and nanoparticulate systems have been developed utilizing these marine polymers for oral, mucosal, transdermal, and parenteral applications. This chapter will specifically focus on applications of chitosan and alginate-based hydrogels and nanosytems for delivery of drugs, highlighting the features of these delivery systems from the viewpoint of a formulator.