Polyphenol-Based Functional Materials: Structural Insights, Composite Strategies, and Biomedical Applications

Polyphenols hold significant promise in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and food-related applications owing to their potent free radical scavenging, antimicrobial, antitumor, and other properties. The unique chemical architecture, featuring multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups and aromatic ring systems-confers a high capacity for both non-covalent (e.g., hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, metal ion coordination) and covalent interactions (e.g., Michael addition, Schiff base formation). These versatile interaction modes underpin the rational design and engineering of advanced composite materials with tailored functionalities. Recent advances in nanotechnology and materials science have catalyzed the integration of polyphenols with broad biomaterials, including metals, polysaccharides, and proteins, to enhance their biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and therapeutic efficacy. This review systematically explores the sources, structures, and physiological activities of polyphenols, elucidating their interaction mechanisms with different materials. Emphasis focuses on the design of polyphenol-based nanomaterials, bioactive scaffolds, and smart drug delivery platforms capable of modulating local microenvironments and orchestrating cellular responses for precision therapeutic interventions. The translational potential of these functional materials in regenerative and precision medicine is also critically examined, alongside key challenges such as stability, responsiveness, and the fine-tuning of release kinetics.