Curdlan-based nanomaterials in drug delivery applications

Curdlan is a linear (1 → 3)-β-glucan produced by Agrobacterium species under nitrogen-limited condition. Due to its distinctive rheological property and intrinsic bioactivities, curdlan has been recognized as a promising biodegradable material and applied in various food and biomedical industries. Recent investigations have also exploited curdlan as an exciting encapsulating agent to accomplish suitable nanoscaffolds for the delivery of various therapeutic modalities including small-molecule drugs, polynucleotides, and peptides/proteins. Following an outline on its source, physicochemical properties and applications in the food and biomedical fields, this chapter presents a comprehensive overview of the most recently developed diverse curdlan-based nanocarriers for drug delivery applications.