Nanomaterials in Biomedical Applications: Specific Case of the Transport and Controlled Release of Ciprofloxacin

Over the past 50 years, numerous systems and technologies have been developed to allow the controlled release of drugs for treating a wide range of diseases. The aim is to enhance the effectiveness of the drugs, especially those with low water solubility, and to achieve their localized administration, avoiding overdoses that may generate drug resistance. In order to be effective, new-generation carrier materials must be able to overcome the host’s physicochemical and biological barriers. The objective of this chapter is to review nanomaterials developed as carriers of ciprofloxacin, which is used to treat numerous infections but has a low water solubility that hampers cell permeability. They include metal–organic frameworks, silica nanomaterials with various morphologies, hydrogels, and other nanomaterials of interest used as carriers for the controlled release of ciprofloxacin. These materials have potential biomedical applications in the treatment of bone, dental, gastrointestinal tract, and urinary infections and in wound healing, among others.