Introduction to tailor-made biopolymers in drug delivery applications

Abstract Over the years, there has been unprecedented progress in developing biopolymer-based systems and their applications in pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. The versatile applications of biopolymers are attributed to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low immunogenicity. Currently, several biopolymers extracted from animal or plant sources also exhibit therapeutic activities. Biopolymers are often suitably tailored to improve their physicochemical and biological properties. Eventually, their drug delivery applications are vastly improved and extended. Herein, an overview of the sources, chemical compositions, physicochemical properties, therapeutic potentials, and chemical modification approaches of various biopolymers is presented. An array of pharmaceutical excipients based on various biopolymers and their tailor-made forms are also reviewed.