Role of carbon dots as nanocarriers in drug delivery: current advancements, prospects, and implementations

INTRODUCTION: Carbon dots (CDs) are recognized as outstanding nanocarriers for drug delivery owing to their superior biocompatibility, straightforward synthetic routes, and tunable surface properties. AREA COVERED: This review presents a comprehensive overview of recent developments in CDs within the context of drug delivery systems (DDSs) and their utilization as carriers for drug loading, stabilization, and delivery. It also describes functionalized CDs for therapeutic applications, including cancer, antimicrobial, and gene therapies. Key strategic issues such as toxicity, biodistribution, and manufacturability are thoroughly elaborated and critically evaluated to identify novel approaches to address crucial challenges. EXPERT OPINION: The promising potential of CDs to transform current drug delivery methods is driving researchers to undertake further biological investigations regarding the application of the CDs in clinical settings, as well as to explore future prospects of CDs within the biomedical field.