Hyaluronic acid nanoparticles

Abstract Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been widely investigated in biomedical research and in clinical practice, owing to its excellent characteristics: biocompatibility, biodegradability, nonimmunogenicity, noninflammatory, and nontoxicity. Numerous types of HA nanomedicines can be prepared by utilizing assembly and modification of/with its functional groups, for instance carboxy, hydroxy, and N-acetyl groups. HA can selectively deliver alleviating drugs or other useful molecules to the diseased sites by the enhanced permeability and retention effect and by interacting with overexpressed receptors in ill cells such as CD44 and receptor for hyaluronate-mediated motility. By interacting with receptors or degradation by native enzymes, HA nanomedicines could allow enhanced targeting therapy. In this chapter, recent studies about HA nanoparticles as drug delivery systems in cancer, skin, and infection therapy are highlighted.