Exploring the Optimized Function of Polymer Coated Nanoparticles: Applications in Drug Delivery Systems

Nanoparticles (NPs) have gained traction throughout the recent years for their usage in many applications, including as drug delivery carriers. With their advantages - high surface area to volume ratio, surface functionalization, permeability, come with a downside of toxicity. Most of the inorganic NPs can cause ion leakage through core dissolution, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ultimately to an extended damage to the liver and kidneys. Those side effects can be avoided by a polymer coating on the surface of the NPs. This paper aims to answer a rarely discussed question - what NPs - polymers system offers most benefits and least side effects. Throughout all the compiled findings, two strong candidates for NPs and two strong candidates for polymers stand out. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are two of the most exceptional NPs for their unique magnetic properties and mesoporous structures, respectively, and paired with the enhanced properties of the natural polymer chitosan (Ch) and the synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), can theoretically become the most suitable candidates for drug delivery.