Applications of hyaluronic acid and its derivatives-based nanoparticles in drug delivery

Hyaluronic acid (HA) and its derivatives continuously provide robust potential for the development of safe and effective drug delivery systems contributed to their unique physicochemical and biological characteristics. In this chapter, after introducing the basic properties of HA, structure modification of HA for different objectives were introduced, and the applications of HA and its derivatives-based nanoparticles for the delivery of different type of drugs, including water-insoluble drugs peptides, proteins, genes and vaccines will be summarized and discussed. In the meantime, the application of those nanoparticles in different administration routes will be presented. Moreover, targeting drug delivery by HA and its derivatives-based nanoparticles are highlighted. Opportunities and challenges of HA based nanomedicines will be discussed.