Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Advanced Drug Delivery Platforms: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have emerged as one of the most promising nanocarriers in advanced drug delivery systems due to their highly ordered pore structure, large surface area, tunable pore size, and exceptional biocompatibility. Drug delivery aims to transport therapeutic compounds efficiently to targeted tissues, improving pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics while minimizing adverse effects. Over the past two decades, MSNs have gained significant attention for their customizable architecture, surface modification capacity, and ability to enhance the stability, solubility, and controlled release of various drugs (1,6). The development of surfactant-templated mesoporous silica in 1992 marked a major breakthrough, followed by the introduction of MSNs for drug delivery in 1998 through pioneering patents and experimental demonstrations (14,16). MSN research has expanded exponentially since 2013, reflecting their growing relevance in cancer therapy, targeted delivery, and stimuli-responsive drug release, with publications rising from fewer than 50 annually before 2012 to more than 450 in 2021 (1). Their ability to deliver hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and sensitive therapeutic agents—combined with immediate, sustained, and responsive release properties—makes MSNs versatile platforms in biomedical applications. Despite advantages such as high drug-loading capacity, biodegradability, and ease of functionalization, challenges including complex synthesis, potential aggregation, long-term toxicity concerns, and high production costs remain barriers to clinical translation (9,10). Overall, MSNs represent a transformative approach in nanomedicine, offering significant potential to enhance therapeutic outcomes, reduce systemic toxicity, and support the development of precision drug delivery technologies.