Stimuli Responsive & Gated Drug Delivery Platforms

Abstract

The development of advanced drug delivery systems has significantly improved the therapeutic efficacy and safety of pharmaceuticals. Stimuli responsive and gated drug delivery platforms represent an innovative approach to precisely control the release of drugs in response to internal or external triggers. These platforms exploit various stimuli such as pH, temperature, light, magnetic fields, enzymes, and redox conditions to achieve site-specific drug release, thereby minimizing systemic side effects and enhancing bioavailability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in stimuli-responsive and gated drug delivery systems, discussing their mechanisms, material design strategies, and biomedical applications. The paper also addresses current challenges, limitations, and future perspectives in the development of these smart platforms. KEYWORDS: Stimuli-responsive, Gated drug delivery, Smart materials, Targeted therapy, Controlled release, Nanocarriers