Multifunctional chitosan/carbon nanotube nanocomposites for programable drug and gene delivery in cancer therapy, wound healing and antimicrobial applications

Abstract

Chitosan/carbon nanotube (CS/CNT) nanocomposites have emerged as next-generation multifunctional drug delivery platforms by bridging the gap between material science and precision medicine. These systems combine the high surface area, tensile strength and photothermal conversion ability of carbon nanotubes with the biocompatibility, mucoadhesion and functional versatility of CS to provide a synergistic solution to long-standing limitations of conventional nanocarriers. Stimulus-responsive drug release, customized functionalization and scalable green synthesis are three important research areas that have advanced significantly in recent years. Novel covalent and non-covalent modifications with enhanced dispersion, prolonged circulation and enhanced therapeutic specificity include PEGylation, peptide targeting and metallic nanoparticle decoration. Creating multi-stimuli release systems that react to pH, enzymatic activity and near-infrared (NIR) radiation is a particularly exciting advancement that enables accurate spatiotemporal drug release profiles in infection and tumor microenvironments. We present a new Triple-Stimuli Release Model in this review that provides a computational experimental bridge to expedite preclinical validation while mathematically forecasting concurrent release kinetics. Applications of CS/CNT systems are highlighted in the fields of gene delivery, wound healing, oncology, antimicrobial therapy and regenerative medicine, with a focus on clinical bottlenecks and translational potential. We additionally assess how well molecular dynamics simulations and artificial intelligence (AI) combine to forecast toxicity, drug-carrier interactions and nanocomposite stability, suggesting that CS/CNT nanocomposites are promising candidates for AI-guided optimization pipelines. Finally, a progressive clinical translation roadmap is informed by a critical discussion of long term biosafety, GMP compliant manufacture, regulatory pathways and ethical considerations. This review emphasizes CS/CNT systems as key components for precision nanomedicine, theranostics and sustainable healthcare innovation that fuse experimental advances with computational vision.