Sustainable Plant‐Derived Polymeric Materials‐Based Nanocarriers for Targeted Drug Delivery of Breast Cancer Therapeutics: State‐of‐the‐Art Review

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Abstract
Globally, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer‐related deaths in women. Despite considerable scientific advancements in drug design and discovery, the mortality rate has increased. However, finding precision breast cancer therapy and high‐efficiency anticancer drug delivery is still a considerable difficulty. A major challenge in cancer therapy is the lack of a highly selective drug‐delivery system that targets malignant cells without damaging healthy cells, thereby minimizing off‐target effects. Recently, novel drug delivery platforms based on plant‐derived polymeric materials have been rapidly developed, improving pharmacokinetic and therapeutic benefits for breast cancer treatment. Plant‐derived polymers can enable selective targeting, prolonged circulation, enhance drug delivery, and regulate cargo release through various methods with little or no toxicity. Polysaccharides, proteins, and gums are plant‐derived polymers that can self‐assemble and encapsulate both hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemotherapeutic agents. They can also protect drugs from harsh environmental conditions, such as ultraviolet light, enzymes, temperature fluctuations, gastric acid, and pH changes. The biomimetic and bio‐inspired, technology‐enabled, plant‐derived, polymer‐based nanocarriers hold promise for successful drug delivery and can help overcome these challenges. Furthermore, the surface modification of plant‐derived polymer‐based nanoparticles (NPs) enables them to respond to stimuli and deliver drugs efficiently. As a result, plant‐derived polymers are ideal nanocarriers for the targeted delivery of chemotherapies to treat breast cancer. This review summarizes recent developments in plant‐derived polymer‐based drug delivery systems for breast cancer therapy and discusses their future potential for designing safer, more effective anticancer treatments.

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