Research progress of paclitaxel drug delivery systems

Abstract

Paclitaxel (PTX), a tetracyclic diterpenoid compound, is a broad-spectrum and highly effective antitumor drug. However, since it exhibited its complex chemical structure and low solubility, conventional PTX therapies are inefficient and even its solvent is toxic to humans. These drawbacks limited its wide application in cancer treatment. In contrast, PTX nano-delivery system has the advantages of high targeting and stability, which could significantly improve the solubility of PTX in water. The drug loading capacity is greatly increased due to prominent compatibility. By reviewing the relevant literature, this paper introduces several research directions of PTX drug delivery systems and lists the design applications of different nanocarriers in recent years. It also highlights the research progress of prodrugs and provides an outlook on its future directiont.