Research Progress of Natural Saccharides and Their Derivatives as Drug Delivery Materials

Drug delivery materials have become essential to safely and effectively transport pharmaceuticals to sites where they exert their intended therapeutic effects. Natural saccharides are considered prime candidates for ideal drug delivery materials because they not only have widespread distribution, diversity, and abundance in nature but also own some characteristics such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, multifunctionality, and hydrophilicity. This review summarizes monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides, elucidating their chemical structure, sources, and characteristics. The review explores their versatile applications as cryoprotectants, solubility enhancers, solutions to PEG predicaments, and porous media. Additionally, a quantity of hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl groups in carbohydrates motivates their modification with diverse functional groups or function as ligands on nanoparticle surfaces. Here, we comprehensively elaborate on the application of carbohydrate derivatives as biological adhesives and provide an overview of research progress on the targeting and selectivity of glycosylated nanoparticles to organs and tumors. In conclusion, this review underscores the significant impact of natural saccharides and their derivatives in pharmaceutical excipients, providing valuable insights for future developments.