Table 1 NCs in cancer medication delivery (reused from Kaushik et al., 2022, distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) [170]

Liposomes

Liposomal doxorubicin

Improved delivery to site of disease; decrease in systemic toxicity of free drug

Ovarian cancer; multiple myeloma

[172]

Liposomal daunorubicin

Improved delivery to tumour site; lower systemic toxicity arising from side effects

Karposi’s sarcoma

[173]

Genistein and plumbagin encapsulated nanoliposomes

Inhibition of cell metabolism

In vitro and in vivo prostate cancer

[174]

Folate-conjugated bovine serum albumin bound paclitaxel NPs

Increased solubility, cellular uptake; targeted specificity

Prostate cancer cells

[175]

Protein-based NPs

Alpha mangostin loaded crosslinked silk fibroin-based NPs

Physico-chemically stable, increased the drug's solubility

Colorectal and breast cancer

[176]

Noscapine-loaded human serum albumin NPs

High drug-loading efficiency (85–96%) and delivery of maximum quantity of drug to the tumour site

Breast cancer cells

[177]

Plasmid cDNA (pGL3) polyethyleneimine (PEI)-coated HSA NPs

Enhance endosomal escape

In vitro gene delivery application

[178]

Micelles

Polymeric methoxy-PEG-poly(D,L-lactide) micelle formulation of paclitaxel

Improved delivery to site of disease; decrease in systemic toxicity of free drug

Breast cancer; ovarian cancer

[179]

Folate-PEG/Hyd-curcumin/C18-g-polysuccinimide

pH sensitive drug release

Colon cancer

[180]

PEGylated prodrug nano-micelles

Glucose-sensitive

In vitro and in vivo anticancer activity

[181]

Polymeric Micelles

CD44v6-targeted polymeric micelles (PM) loaded with niclosmide

Increase drug safety

Efficacy against colorectal stem cells

[182]

Self-assembly

Aptamer-tethered DNA assembly

Stronger targeting ability, higher cellular uptake

Cancer cell imaging

[183]

DNA-aptamer conjugated RNA-triple helix hydrogel

Efficient cellular uptake and enhanced nuclease resistance with superior biocompatibility

Triple negative breast cancer detection and treatment

[184]

Folate-modified MPEG-PCL

Improved bioavailability, low toxicity, sustained drug release

Colorectal cancer mice model

[185]

Folate receptor-targeted β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)

Biosafety, bioavailability, and improve curcumin drug loading capacity

Cervical cancer, fibroblast cells

[186]