Nanosystems Comprising Biocompatible Polymers for the Delivery of Photoactive Compounds in Biomedical Applications

Biocompatible polymers (BP) have received an increased focus as drug delivery system by providing special characteristics, such as easy design and preparation, different structures, controlled release, stability and protection from enzymatic degradation, allowing the delivery of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs with biodegradability and biocompatibility. Also, they can enhance permeation through physiological barriers and provide targeting to specific tissues. This chapter will present a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the development of these BP biomedical applications as drug delivery systems for photoactive compounds used in the photoprocess to treat cancer or in the photobiomodulation process applicable to regenerative medicine or tissue engineering. The polymers from polylactide, polyglycolide and their copolymers, polydioxanone, polyhydroxybutyrate, alginate, chitosan, collagen and gelatin and their applications with emphasis in the delivery of photoactive compounds will be discussed. The discussion will present pharmacotechnical development, pharmacokinetics and biomedical applications in the field.