Carboxylate embedded metal organic frameworks for potential applications in drug delivery and controlled release

Carboxylate-based metal-organic frameworks (CMOFs) has emerged as highly promising materials in medicinal applications, particularly in drug delivery and control release at the target, owing to their tunable pore structures and extensive surface areas. This review mainly focuses on the carboxylate MOFs as nano-carriers in drug delivery, highlighting their well-defined structures, ultra-high porosity, and versatile chemical functionalization. We summarize various strategies for functionalizing CMOFs with therapeutic agents, such as surface adsorption of drugs, pore encapsulation of drugs, and covalent binding of drugs with CMOFs. Additionally, the review highlights the methods of drug loading in CMOFs and explores their specific applications in drug delivery and sustained release. CMOFs are particularly notable for their ability to achieve stimuli-responsive release and co-delivery of drugs in combination of genes, which is especially useful in cancer treatment. Finally, the challenges in enhancing the efficiency of CMOFs in medicinal applications are discussed. This review explores the diverse applications of Carboxylate-based Metal-Organic Frameworks (CMOFs), which are characterized by their well-defined structures, high porosity, and versatile functionalization. It emphasizes the potential of CMOFs for drug loading, particularly in anticancer therapy, where they can deliver and release drugs at targeted sites. Additionally, the review discusses CMOFs designed for stimuli-responsive behavior, gene delivery, and targeted treatments, highlighting their promising biomedical applications in cancer therapy and disease-specific drug delivery. • Carboxylate MOFs have ultra-high porosity and versatile chemical functionalization. • CMOFs can load drug cargo within their pores. • CMOFs execute as carriers for targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy. • CMOFs can release loaded drugs at specific tumor sites. • CMOFs enable stimuli-responsive drug release, such as photothermal and photodynamic effects.