An Insight into Collagen-Based Nano Biomaterials for Drug Delivery Applications

In modern medicine, drugDrug delivery is a broad field of research for the evolution of novel materials or carrier systems for effective therapeutic delivery of drugsDrug as the controlled drug delivery is a challenge on the basis of solubility, bioavailability, cytotoxicity along with pharmacokinetic parameters. Protein-based drug delivery systemsDrug Delivery Systems (DDS) (DDS) have shown promising results due to structural support, cell-targeted delivery, bioavailability, biocompatibility and non-immunogenicity, etc. CollagenCollagen as an important extracellular matrix component has attracted drug delivery-based research in recent years. Collagen based-hydrogels/composites/biofilms are excellent objects for drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound dressings and gene therapeutics etc. due to high encapsulating capacity, mechanically strong swollen structural network and efficient mass transfer properties. Some of the applications of collagenCollagen are the formation of microspheres and microneedles for drugDrug delivery, formulation of nanoparticlesNanoparticles (NPs) (NPs) for gene delivery, development of pellets and tablets for protein delivery, formation of gels and combination with liposomes for sustained drug delivery, cancer treatment and collagen shields in ophthalmology. DDSDrug Delivery Systems (DDS) based on NPs display enhanced efficacy of drugsDrug and improve the drug’s half-life, hydrophobic drug solubility and controlled/sustained drug release in the infected body regions. Stimuli-responsive NPs regulate drug biodistribution and reduce drug toxicity. Protein-based nanocomposites can be prepared through various physical and chemical methods like desolvation, emulsification, phase separation, electrospray, electrospinning and milling, etc. These methods have their operating ease and difficulties for the production of the desired quality of nanomaterials/composites. Current Polymeric NPsNanoparticles (NPs) systems are sensitive to stimuli such as temperature, light, pH, oxidizing/reducing agents, magnetic fields and enzymes which increases efficiency and specificity for various applications. CollagenCollagen with NPs results in stabilization of the nanoparticlesNanoparticles (NPs) and helps with entrapment of the drug, to attain steady and regulated drugDrug release for ideal therapeutic reactions. CollagenCollagen NPs have advantage over other natural and synthetic polymeric NPs due to biocompatibility, biodegradability, low antigenicity, high contact surface and reduced toxicity. Significant advancements have been achieved using collagen-based nano-DDS to deliver biomoleculesBiomolecules with better efficacy at targeted sites. In spite of the substantial progress, collagenCollagen is still affected by low mechanical strength and high rate of degradability, which is a serious concern during clinical trials of targeting intracellular molecules like genes, drugsDrug and growth factors, etc. In future, collagen-based nano-DDS will be the key player for the delivery of desired drugs/biomolecules at specific target for different medical conditions.