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Targeted Therapy / Metal-based Nanoparticles · Journal article
Pharmaceutical Science Advances · May 22, 2026
A consensus or society position rather than new primary data.
This is a narrative review of bio-based nanomaterials (polysaccharide-, protein-, lipid-, and green-synthesized inorganic nanocarriers) used in drug delivery, covering mechanisms, applications, and translational challenges. The authors identify that conventional systems are limited by poor solubility, rapid degradation, low bioavailability, and nonspecific distribution, and that nano-carriers address these through improved stability, controlled release, and targeted delivery. However, the review acknowledges major unresolved challenges: large-scale manufacturing, batch reproducibility, long-term safety, regulatory approval, and lack of standardized benchmarking—indicating the field remains early and lacks clinical validation.
Narrative review. Review scope: bio-based nanomaterial platforms for drug delivery, including applications in cancer therapy, gastrointestinal disorders, natural bioactive compounds, vaccines, gene therapy, and neurological diseases. Multinational authorship (Nigeria, Iraq, Cyprus, Turkey); scope global.
Bio-based nanomaterials exhibit lower toxicity, reduced immunogenicity, and improved interaction with biological systems compared with many synthetic carriers Conventional drug delivery systems are limited by poor aqueous solubility, rapid metabolic degradation, low bioavailability, nonspecific distribution, and inadequate penetration across biological barriers Nanoscale carriers enable passive targeting via enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, active targeting via ligand–receptor interactions, and stimuli-responsive drug release
Bio-based nanomaterials exhibit lower toxicity, reduced immunogenicity, and improved interaction with biological systems compared with many synthetic carriers Significant translational challenges remain including large-scale manufacturing, batch reproducibility, long-term safety evaluation, regulatory approval, and inconsistent classification frameworks
This review offers a strategic overview of nano-based drug delivery landscape and identifies critical gaps (manufacturing, safety, regulation, benchmarking) that clinicians and researchers should recognize; however, it does not provide evidence-graded recommendations for clinical practice or specific approved therapies.
A comprehensive narrative review synthesizing current knowledge on bio-based nanomaterials in drug delivery, offering translational perspective but without primary experimental data, clinical trials, or novel empirical evidence.
As stated by the source record.
This review offers a strategic overview of nano-based drug delivery landscape and identifies critical gaps (manufacturing, safety, regulation, benchmarking) that clinicians and researchers should recognize; however, it does not provide evidence-graded recommendations for clinical practice or specific approved therapies.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
What is missing. This record has no reported figures. That is a gap in the analysis, not a judgement about the study.
Bio-based nanomaterials have emerged as promising drug delivery platforms due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to enhance therapeutic performance. Conventional drug delivery systems are often limited by poor drug solubility, rapid degradation, low bioavailability, and nonspecific distribution, particularly for natural bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the development of bio-based nanocarriers capable of improving drug stability, controlled release, intracellular transport, and site-specific delivery. This review provides an updated overview of natural nanomaterials used in drug delivery, including polysaccharide-, protein-, lipid-, and green-synthesized inorganic nanocarriers. Major delivery platforms such as nanoliposomes, micelles, nanosuspensions, solid lipid nanoparticles, and polymeric nanostructures are discussed alongside their mechanisms of action, including passive targeting via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, ligand-mediated active targeting, and stimuli-responsive drug release. The review further examines recent applications in cancer therapy, gastrointestinal disorders, delivery of natural bioactive compounds, vaccines, gene therapy, and neurological diseases. In addition to highlighting therapeutic advantages, this review critically discusses current translational challenges, including large-scale manufacturing, batch reproducibility, long-term safety, biodistribution, immunogenicity, and regulatory limitations. A key contribution of this review is the integration of comparative analysis and translational perspectives across major bio-based nanocarrier systems, highlighting the need for standardized evaluation frameworks and scalable production strategies. Future research should focus on reproducible green synthesis methods, quantitative benchmarking, advanced characterization approaches, and clinically relevant validation studies to accelerate the translation of natural nanomaterials into pharmaceutical applications.
Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.