Recent Advances of Metal-Polyphenol Coordination Polymers for Biomedical Applications

Nanomedicine has provided cutting-edge technologies and innovative methods for modern biomedical research, offering unprecedented opportunities to tackle crucial biomedical issues. Nanomaterials with unique structures and properties can integrate multiple functions to achieve more precise diagnosis and treatment, making up for the shortcomings of traditional treatment methods. Among them, metal-polyphenol coordination polymers (MPCPs), composed of metal ions and phenolic ligands, are considered as ideal nanoplatforms for disease diagnosis and treatment. Recently, MPCPs have been extensively investigated in the field of biomedicine due to their facile synthesis, adjustable structures, and excellent biocompatibility, as well as pH-responsiveness. In this review, the classification of various MPCPs and their fabrication strategies are firstly summarized. Then, their significant achievements in the biomedical field such as biosensing, drug delivery, bioimaging, tumor therapy, and antibacterial applications are highlighted. Finally, the main limitations and outlooks regarding MPCPs are discussed.