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Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
Macrocycle-Based Supramolecular Drug Delivery Systems: A Concise Review
Yanrui Yang1, Pengcheng Li1, Haibo Feng2
1College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Abstract:
Efficient delivery of therapeutic agents to the lesion site or specific cells is an important way to achieve "toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement". Macrocycles have always provided many novel ideas for drug or gene loading and delivery processes. Specifically, macrocycles represented by crown ethers, cyclodextrins, cucurbit[n]urils, calix[n]arenes, and pillar[n]arenes have unique properties, which are different cavity structures, good biocompatibility, and good stability. Benefited from these diverse properties, a variety of supramolecular drug delivery systems can be designed and constructed to effectively improve the physical and chemical properties of guest molecules as needed. This review provides an outlook on the current application status and main limitations of macrocycles in supramolecular drug delivery systems.
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