[Structural modification of polysaccharides from TCM and their application in delivery systems]

The biological activity of polysaccharides from TCM is closely related to their structure. Through structural modifications, such as grafting modification and crosslinking reactions, their physicochemical properties can be significantly improved. Modified polysaccharides from TCM can form nanocarriers through self-assembly, constructing intelligent drug delivery systems and self-healing hydrogels. By esterification, etherification to graft hydrophobic small molecules, radical graft copolymerization, sulfonation reaction to graft ionic polymers, etc., the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of polysaccharides can be adjusted, improving their drug loading efficiency and targeted delivery ability. By synergizing crosslinking reactions such as Schiff base reaction, ionic crosslinking, and covalent crosslinking, hydrogels with excellent properties can be constructed. After structural modification, polysaccharides from TCM can achieve efficient encapsulation of hydrophobic active ingredients, construct intelligent drug delivery systems, develop self-healing hydrogels, and build tissue scaffolds. Although they have advantages such as high plasticity and good biocompatibility as delivery systems, there are also potential issues such as stability, immune response, and quality control that need further research and resolution.