Self-assembled polysaccharide nanostructures for controlled-release applications

Abstract Self-assembling polysaccharide nanostructures have moved to the forefront of many fields due to their wide range of functional properties and unique advantages, including biocompatability and stimulus responsiveness. In particular, the field of controlled release, which involves influencing the location, concentration, and efficacy of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), diagnostics, nutrients, or other bioactive compounds, has benefited from polysaccharide biomaterials. Nanostructure formation, stimulus responsiveness, and controlled-release performance can be engineered through facile chemical functionalization and noncovalent intermolecular interactions. This review discusses polysaccharide nanoparticles, designed for targeted and time-controlled delivery of emerging APIs, with improved