Carbon Dots as Advanced Drug-Delivery Nanoplatforms for Antiinflammatory, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Applications: A Review

Carbon dots (CDs), as rapidly developing nanomaterials, give new prospects for the treatment of various diseases. Their great biocompatibility and wide specific surface area make CDs excellent drug-delivery vehicles because they improve cellular uptake and absorption and allow for medications to bind more easily. CDs offer enormous potential as delivery systems for antiinflammatory medications. The activities of antiinflammatory drugs delivered by CDs are higher than those of free drugs. They also have controlled release, thus enhancing the cumulative effect at the inflammation site and improving pharmacokinetics. Compared with free small-molecule antibacterial medicines, CD-based drug-delivery systems have higher antibacterial efficacies, better targeting, increased cellular uptake and internalization efficiency, and decreased systemic side effects. The benefits of using CDs as anticancer drug carriers include high drug loading, increased targeting, lower drug dosage, regulated drug release, and synergistic photothermal therapy, which offers a novel approach to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in clinical settings. However, it is important to consider the biosafety, toxicity, and impact of CDs on the immune system of an organism before using them as drug-delivery vehicles for clinical diagnosis and therapy. This review discusses the use of CDs in the delivery of antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancer drugs and summarizes the current advantages and challenges of using CDs for drug delivery.