Recent Developments in Organic Nanotubes for Drug Delivery Applications

Abstract: Over the past few years, nanoparticles have been widely used in therapeutic applications. It is well acknowledged that nanoparticles have improved the shortcomings of conventional treatments. The advantages and drawbacks of inorganic nanocarriers such as metal nanoparticles and quantum dots have been extensively studied. Although carbon nanotubes have been touted as a prominent medication delivery method, their physicochemical characteristics, such as low water solubility, limited circulation time, etc., restrict their use. Compared to hard matter tubes like carbon and other inorganic matter, organic nanotubes have better physiological properties such as improved blood stability, longer circulation time, high serum solubility, etc. The current study focuses on recent developments in the use of organic nanotubes for drug delivery and the utilization of their structural features. The soft, organic material that builds up these nanotubes has a synergistic effect on biocompatibility and lowers cytotoxicity thus proving suitable for the potential use as drug delivery carrier. The goals of this review are to identify the characteristics that support the creation of new drug delivery systems and to shed light on current advancements that have been reported in the literature. The paper also includes discussion of the difficulties in using these organic nanotubes for applications in drug delivery as well as the potential for future research in this field.