Smart Polymers: A boon in Drug delivery

Abstract

Smart polymers, also known as ‘stimuli responsive polymers’ or ‘intelligent polymers’ or ‘environmental sensitive polymers’ are composed of polymers that respond in a dramatic way to very slight changes in the environment or they may be defined as plastics which change or react in a certain way according to the environment. Smart polymers have been used widely for targeted drug delivery system, bio-separation & microfluidic processes, tissue engineering, gene carriers, biosensors reversible biocatalysts, as actuators, in protein folding and many other major applications. Furthermore, these polymers have huge potential for use in medicine; thus, it has been applied to a diverse number of areas such as insulin delivery, anti-cancer drug delivery, and gene delivery. Moreover, Smart polymers have also been used in a range of delivery systems (oral and topical), based on hydrogels, well as novel drug delivery nanostructures (e.g. nanofibers) or as coatings for nanoparticles for parenteral use. Despite huge significance, Smart polymers have major challenges, including the potential cytotoxicity of smart polymers involved in the delivery of biomolecular drugs, such as peptides, proteins and nucleic acid drugs. Accordingly, more studies are required to make Smart polymers better, which can help mankind.