Dextran-Based Drug Delivery Systems
Summary
Dextran, a naturally occurring polysaccharide synthesised by lactic acid bacteria, has emerged as a versatile platform for the design of drug delivery systems. Its inherent biocompatibility, low toxicity and capacity for chemical modification enable the fabrication of carriers with precisely tuned release profiles and targeting capabilities. Common formats include nanoparticles, micelles, hydrogels and microspheres, each tailored through modifications such as acetalation, oxidation, carboxymethylation or thiolation. These alterations introduce stimuli-responsive behaviours—pH sensitivity, redox responsiveness and enzyme-triggered degradation—that allow controlled payload release in defined microenvironments. Dextran-based formulations have been exploited to enhance the solubility and stability of small molecules, peptides and nucleic acids, reduce off-target effects and improve therapeutic indices. Their capacity for surface conjugation or functionalisation with ligands further enables active targeting to diseased tissues. Together, these features underpin dextran’s growing role in precision medicine, from anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic interventions to oncological and respiratory applications.
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Dextran-Based Drug Delivery Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in dextran-based drug delivery systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Dextran: A bio-compatible polysaccharide backbone capable of chemical modification for drug encapsulation.
Acetalated dextran (AcDEX): Dextran derivatised with acetal groups to confer pH-sensitive degradation.
Nanoparticle: A carrier in the 1–100 nm size range designed to encapsulate and protect therapeutic agents.
Macropinocytosis: A non-selective endocytic process by which cells internalise extracellular fluid and particles.
Oligodeoxynucleotide: A short DNA fragment used as a decoy to inhibit specific transcription factors such as NF-κB.
References
- In Vitro Study of the Anti-inflammatory and Antifibrotic Activity of Tannic Acid-Coated Curcumin-Loaded Nanoparticles in Human Tenocytes. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2023).
- Exploring the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic activity of NFκB decoy oligodeoxynucleotide-loaded spermine-functionalized acetalated nanoparticles. Chemico-Biological Interactions (2024).
- Macropinocytic dextran facilitates KRAS-targeted delivery while reducing drug-induced tumor immunity depletion in pancreatic cancer. Theranostics (2022).
- Dextran Formulations as Effective Delivery Systems of Therapeutic Agents. Molecules (2023).
About these summaries
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