Graphene Materials and its Applications in Drug Delivery Systems

Advancements in pharmacy and the increasing demand for precise therapeutic efficacy have driven the advancement of drug delivery. However, controlling the therapeutic efficacy exactly and reducing biotoxicity limit the further development of this area. To overcome these obstacles, smart drug delivery systems (DDS) have been developed. DDS integrates advanced technologies to reduce dosage frequency and maintain drug concentrations in targeted issues. Nanomaterials, particularly graphene and its derivatives, have shown significant promise in DDS due to their exceptional physiochemical properties, including high strength, high surface area, and high biocompatibility. Therefore, it is important to study graphene and the applications in DDS. This work gives a brief introduction to recent advancements in utilizing graphene and its derivatives, such as graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and nanographene oxide, for drug delivery. It begins by discussing the characteristics of graphene and its derivatives. Then, applications of those nanomaterials in DDS, specifically as drug carriers of light-based therapies for tumor treatment, antimicrobial treatments, and gene therapy, are outlined. This work will contribute to promoting the further application of graphene in drug delivery systems.