Chitosan-Based Drug Delivery Systems

Chitosan, a cationic polysaccharide derived from the deacetylation of chitin, has emerged as a versatile platform for drug delivery owing to its inherent biocompatibility, biodegradability and low toxicity. The abundance of primary amine and hydroxyl groups allows chemical modification to yield tailored derivatives with improved solubility, pH-responsiveness and targeting capabilities. These materials can be formulated into nanoparticles, microparticles, hydrogels, films and polyelectrolyte complexes for a variety of routes of administration, including oral, nasal, pulmonary, ocular and transdermal delivery. Key attributes of chitosan-based systems include mucoadhesion, controlled release kinetics, enhanced permeation across biological membranes and the capacity to protect sensitive therapeutics such as peptides, proteins and nucleic acids from premature degradation. Recent innovations have focused on multifunctional and stimuli-responsive designs, combination therapy platforms and integration of inorganic or lipidic components to improve stability and targeting. Whilst scale-up, batch reproducibility and regulatory standardisation remain challenges, the global significance of chitosan as a renewable, cost-effective biopolymer underpins its rapid translation into clinical and commercial applications, from antimicrobial wound dressings to tumour-targeted nanocarriers.

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Chitosan-Based Drug Delivery Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in chitosan-based drug delivery systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Chitosan: A natural polysaccharide obtained by deacetylation of chitin, characterised by amino and hydroxyl functional groups.

Deacetylation: Chemical process that removes acetyl groups from chitin to produce chitosan, yielding free amino groups that impart solubility in acidic media.

Mucoadhesion: The ability of a material to adhere to mucosal tissues, enhancing drug residence time and absorption.

Cross-linking: Formation of chemical or ionic bonds between polymer chains to stabilise structure and control drug release kinetics.

Nanoparticles: Colloidal carriers in the nanometre size range used to encapsulate and protect therapeutics, facilitating targeted and controlled delivery.

References

1. An Overview of Chitosan Nanoparticles and Its Application in Non-Parenteral Drug Delivery. Pharmaceutics (2017).
2. Chitosan Derivatives and Their Application in Biomedicine. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020).
3. Chitosan Modification and Pharmaceutical/Biomedical Applications. Marine Drugs (2010).
4. Biocompatibility of Chitosan Carriers with Application in Drug Delivery. Journal of Functional Biomaterials (2012).
5. Preparation methods and applications of chitosan nanoparticles; with an outlook toward reinforcement of biodegradable packaging. Reactive and Functional Polymers (2021).
6. Chitosan-Based Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery. Molecules (2018).
7. Advances in Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021).
8. Current Advances in Chitosan Nanoparticles Based Drug Delivery and Targeting. Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin (2019).