The design strategy for pillararene based active targeted drug delivery systems

Pillararenes feature columnar structures with electron-rich cavities, enabling distinctive host-guest comple-xation properties, while their structural adaptability supports diverse applications. In the context of improving cancer treatment outcomes, active targeted drug delivery systems(DDSs) are recognized as vital. The inherent structural flexibility and host-guest interactions of pillararenes facilitate the integration of tumor-targeting groups into pillararene-based DDSs, allowing precise drug delivery to tumor sites. This review delineates two design strategies for such systems. One approach employs host-guest complexation to incorporate targeting groups through noncovalent bonds,avoiding the need for intricate organic synthesis. Alternatively, pillararenes modified with targeting groups are synthesized directly, yielding DDSs with stable targeting capabilities and consistent reproducibility, albeit at the expense of increased time and cost due to complex organic synthesis processes.