Advanced Functional Materials Based on Nanocellulose for Pharmaceutical/Medical Applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Nanocelluloses (NCs) are emerging green nanomaterials with unique properties like biocompatibility and biodegradability.
• NCs, including cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), are foundational for advanced functional materials.
• These materials, such as hydrogels, nanogels, and nanocomposites, are gaining traction in various scientific fields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of nanocellulose-based materials.
• To synthesize recent advancements (past 5 years) in pharmaceutical and medical applications.
• To assess the safety and biodegradability of nanocellulose materials.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on nanocellulose characteristics and functional materials.
• Extensive analysis of research on nanocellulose applications in drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering.
• In-depth assessment of in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity and biodegradability.

Main Results:

• Nanocelluloses exhibit promising characteristics for biomedical applications.
• Significant progress has been made in developing nanocellulose-based drug delivery systems, wound dressings, and tissue engineering scaffolds.
• Cytotoxicity and biodegradability assessments are crucial for clinical translation.

Conclusions:

• Nanocellulose-based materials hold substantial promise for diverse biomedical applications.
• Further research is needed to fully understand and optimize their safety and biodegradability profiles.
• This review highlights key successes and future requirements in the field of nanocellulose research.