Rani Komal, Malik Ankit Kumar, Setia Aseem, Randhave Nandini Vinodrao, Verma Nidhi, Kumar Vikas, Deshmukh Kalim, Muthu Madaswamy S
Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi 221005, India.
New Technologies Research Centre, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
Carbohydr Polym. 2025 Oct 15;366:123852. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.123852. Epub 2025 Jun 7.
Chitosan, a biopolymer derived from chitin, has garnered substantial scrutiny in recent times, attributable to its versatile properties, including biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity. These characteristics make it an ideal candidate for various medical applications, particularly in the field of nanomedicine. This review explores the emerging role of chitosan and its derivatives in nanotheranostics, which combines therapeutic and diagnostic modalities for the treatment of multiple diseases. The prospect of chitosan-based nanoparticles in the delivery of drugs, vector delivery, imaging, and disease monitoring has been extensively explored. The modification of chitosan with various functional groups, such as chitosan oligosaccharides, thiolated chitosan, carboxymethyl chitosan, glycol chitosan and other derivatives, enhances its pharmacokinetic properties, targeting capabilities, and therapeutic efficacy. Chitosan-based nanocarriers have shown potential in treating various conditions, including cancer, inflammation, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders, by improving the solubility of drugs, stability, and controlled release. Additionally, chitosan has a theranostic role in imaging approaches such as optical imaging, ultrasound, and photoacoustic imaging, facilitating early diagnosis and monitoring of therapeutic responses. This review also addresses the disputes and future perceptions for the development of chitosan-based nanotheranostics, including issues related to scalability, regulatory approval, and long-term safety.
壳聚糖是一种由甲壳素衍生而来的生物聚合物，近年来受到了广泛关注，这归因于其多种特性，包括生物可降解性、生物相容性和无毒性。这些特性使其成为各种医学应用的理想候选材料，尤其是在纳米医学领域。本综述探讨了壳聚糖及其衍生物在纳米诊疗学中的新兴作用，纳米诊疗学将治疗和诊断方式结合起来用于多种疾病的治疗。基于壳聚糖的纳米颗粒在药物递送、载体递送、成像和疾病监测方面的前景已得到广泛探索。用各种官能团对壳聚糖进行修饰，如壳寡糖、硫醇化壳聚糖、羧甲基壳聚糖、乙二醇壳聚糖和其他衍生物，可增强其药代动力学特性、靶向能力和治疗效果。基于壳聚糖的纳米载体通过提高药物的溶解度、稳定性和控释，在治疗各种病症方面显示出潜力，这些病症包括癌症、炎症、传染病和神经退行性疾病。此外，壳聚糖在光学成像、超声和光声成像等成像方法中具有诊疗作用，有助于早期诊断和监测治疗反应。本综述还讨论了基于壳聚糖的纳米诊疗学发展中的争议和未来展望，包括与可扩展性、监管批准和长期安全性相关的问题。
