Table 7.
Biocompatibility of nanocarrier materials
| Nanocarrier Material | Biocompatibility Score | Cytotoxicity | Immunogenicity | Hemocompatibility | Clearance Pathway | Description | Novelty | Advantages | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liposomes | High | Low | Low | Low | RES | Phospholipid bilayer vesicles with aqueous core | First generation nanocarriers | Biodegradable, versatile, well-established | [13] |
| Polymeric Nanoparticles | Medium to High | Variable | Variable | Variable | RES, Renal, or Lymphatic | Nanoparticles composed of synthetic or natural polymers | Tailorable size and surface properties, good drug payload capacity | Potential toxicity, batch-to-batch variability | [90, 102] |
| Gold Nanoparticles | Low to Medium | Low to Moderate | Low | Low to Moderate | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles made of gold with surface coatings | Good biocompatibility, versatile | Potential for accumulation in organs, poor biodegradability | [58] |
| Carbon Nanotubes | Low to Medium | Variable | Variable | Variable | RES, Pulmonary, or Renal | Cylindrical carbon structures with high aspect ratio | High drug payload capacity, tunable properties | Potential toxicity, poor biodegradability | [169] |
| Magnetic Nanoparticles | Low to Medium | Variable | Variable | Variable | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles with magnetic properties | Good targeting ability, potential for imaging | Potential for accumulation in organs, poor biodegradability | [59] |
| Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles | High | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of calcium and phosphate | Good biocompatibility, potential for bone-targeted therapy | Limited drug payload capacity, potential for precipitation | [124, 125] |
| Protein-Based Nanocarriers | High | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Nanocarriers composed of proteins | High biocompatibility, potential for targeted therapy | Limited stability, high production cost | [170] |
| DNA Nanocarriers | Medium | Low | Low | Low | Renal or Hepatic | Nanocarriers made of DNA or DNA-based materials | Potential for gene therapy, good biodegradability | Limited drug payload capacity, potential for immunogenicity | [171] |
| Lipid Nanoparticles | High | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of lipids | Versatile, easy to produce, good stability | Limited drug payload capacity, potential for lipid accumulation | [99] |
| Iron Oxide Nanoparticles | Low to Medium | Low | Low | Low to Moderate | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles with magnetic properties | Good targeting ability, potential for imaging | Potential for accumulation in organs, poor biodegradability | [121] |
| Silica Nanoparticles | Low to Medium | Variable | Variable | Variable | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of silica | High drug payload capacity, good stability | Potential for toxicity, poor biodegradability | [88] |
| Polyethylene Glycol Nanoparticles | High | Low | Low | Low | Renal or Hepatic | Nanoparticles with PEG coatings | Good biocompatibility, long circulation time | Potential for instability, potential for immune response | [172] |
| Albumin Nanoparticles | High | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of albumin | Good biocompatibility, potential for targeted therapy | Limited drug payload capacity, potential for instability | [27] |
| Polysaccharide Nanoparticles | High | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of polysaccharides | Good biocompatibility, potential for targeted therapy | Limited drug payload capacity, potential for batch-to-batch variability | [173] |
| Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles | Low to Medium | Variable | Variable | Variable | RES, Pulmonary, or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of graphene oxide | High drug payload capacity, good stability | Potential for toxicity, poor biodegradability | [174] |
| Chitosan Nanoparticles | High | Low | Low to Moderate | Low | Renal or Hepatic | Nanoparticles composed of chitosan | Good biocompatibility, potential for targeted therapy | Potential for aggregation, limited drug payload capacity | [84] |
| Quantum Dots | Low to Medium | Low to Moderate | Low to Moderate | Low to Moderate | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles made of semiconducting materials | Good imaging properties, potential for targeted therapy | Potential for toxicity, poor biodegradability | [21, 103, 104] |
| DNA Origami Nanoparticles | Medium | Low | Low | Low | Renal or Hepatic | Nanocarriers made of DNA and folded into specific shapes | Potential for targeted therapy and gene delivery | Limited stability, potential for immunogenicity | [175] |
| Metal–Organic Frameworks | Medium to High | Variable | Variable | Variable | RES or Renal | Nanocarriers composed of metal ions and organic ligands | Tailorable properties, potential for drug delivery and imaging | Potential for toxicity, limited biodegradability | [101] |
| Self-Assembling Peptides | High | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Peptides that self-assemble into nanocarriers | Good biocompatibility, potential for targeted therapy | Limited drug payload capacity, potential for instability | [87] |
| Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles | High | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of lipids and polymers | Tailorable size and surface properties, good drug payload capacity | Potential for instability, potential for lipid accumulation | [57] |
| Carbon Quantum Dots | Low to Medium | Low | Low | Low | RES or Renal | Nanoparticles composed of carbon materials | Good imaging properties, potential for drug delivery | Potential for toxicity, poor biodegradability | [176] |