Functionalized Carbon Nanostructures for Targeted Drug Delivery

Carbon nanostructures, including carbon nanotubes, graphene, and fullerenes, are being considered as potential platforms for delivering drugs to specific targets. They possess distinct physical and chemical properties and may be easily modified to serve different functions. The biocompatibility, stability, and specificity of these nanostructures in drug delivery applications can be improved by functionalizing them with different biomolecules such as medicines, targeting ligands, and imaging agents. This chapter examines the latest developments in modifying carbon nanostructures to deliver drugs to specific targets. We examine the many techniques utilized for the covalent and noncovalent modification of carbon nanostructures, emphasizing their benefits and constraints. Furthermore, we provide an overview of functionalized carbon nanostructures’ current uses in targeted drug delivery. The future perspectives in this sector are also explored, emphasizing the importance of more research to solve issues like toxicity, biocompatibility, and large-scale production.