Nanomaterials in Drug Delivery and Pharmaceutical Applications: A Review

Nanomaterials have emerged as versatile platforms for drug delivery, offering properties that enhance solubility, enable targeted delivery and support controlled release and theranostic applications. This review summarizes recent advancements in diverse nanocarrier systems, including polymeric, lipid-based, metal/metal-oxide, magnetic, hybrid and plant-derived nanoparticles. Key design strategies that improve bioavailability, cellular uptake and therapeutic efficacy are highlighted, alongside challenges in large-scale production, reproducibility, long-term safety and regulatory compliance. The synthesis, characterization and functionalization of these nanomaterials are examined with respect to overcoming biological barriers and facilitating clinical translation. Collectively, current evidence underscores the potential of nanomedicine to advance precision and personalized therapeutics, while identifying research gaps that warrant further investigation. This review provides a concise framework for understanding current trends, opportunities and future directions in nanomaterial-enabled drug delivery systems.