Dextran-based nanomaterials in drug delivery applications

Abstract Biopolymer-based polysaccharides such as chitosan, guar gum, pectin, hyaluronic acid, sodium alginate, and dextran are commonly used for the development of various types of drug delivery systems. Among these polysaccharides, dextran has received immense interest in accomplishing nanoscale drug carriers because of its easy availability, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, nontoxicity, nonimmunogenicity, and biodegradability. However, the native dextran possesses several limitations regarding its physicochemical properties, restricting its wide applications as nanocarriers of drugs. These drawbacks could be conquered by suitably modifying its backbone through carboxymethylation, acetylation, amidation, conjugation with drugs, cross-linking, and grafting with other natural, synthetic, or semisynthetic polymers. The resulting tailor-made dextran derivatives have widely been utilized to develop different types of nanoscale drug delivery systems. This chapter mainly reviews on the sources, compositions, characteristics, chemical modifications, pharmacokinetics, and clinical safety of dextran with special emphasis on its various nanomaterials, particularly designed for drug delivery applications.