Title:Natural Polymers as a Carrier for the Effective Delivery of Antineoplastic
Drugs
Volume: 21
Issue: 2
Author(s): Rajat Patel, Utkarsha Kuwar, Nidhi Dhote, Amit Alexander, Kartik Nakhate, Parag Jain and Ajazuddin*
Affiliation:
- Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Kohka-Kurud Road, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh
490024, India
Keywords:
Natural polymer, antineoplastic drug, natural polymers, nanocarriers, targeting, cancer.
Abstract: Cancer is a broad term for a set of disorders marked by the development of physically and
functionally changed cells that proliferate uncontrollably, infect neighboring tissues, and result in malignant
tumours, 'neoplasm'. Cancer remains a difficult disease to treat because of the significant adverse
effects and poor pharmacokinetic profile of antineoplastic drugs, despite advancements in our
understanding of the features and behavior of tumor cells in recent decades. In this series, the role of
natural polymers is prominent as a component of a novel delivery system of anticancer drugs. These natural
polymeric drug delivery systems (NPDDS) have many advantages over synthetic polymers like controlled
delivery, biodegradability, inexpensive, low toxicity profile, and easily obtainable. These polymers
further modify for the targeting of tumour cells. This review discusses and critically analyses the different
natural polymers, such as chitosan, cellulose, starch, albumin, dextran, fucoidan, gelatin, etc., in terms of
natural ingredient-based polymeric nanocarriers specifically for cancer therapy. It also describes benefits,
drawbacks, and opinions and provides insights about the efficacy of NPDDS as well as its future perspectives
and tabulated recent patents and cases under clinical trials exploited for cancer treatment.