A Review Article on Recent Advances in Smart Nanocarrier for Targeted Drug Delivery in Chronic Diseases.

Chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, and inflammatory diseases, pose significant global health burdens. Traditional drug delivery systems often fail due to inadequate specificity, poor solubility, rapid clearance, and systemic side effects. Smart nanocarriers have emerged as powerful tools capable of targeted and controlled drug delivery. These nanocarriers are engineered to respond to internal or external stimuli, improve drug stability, enhance tissue penetration, and release drugs at the diseased site with greater precision. This review highlights the recent advancements in smart nanocarriers, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, inorganic nanomaterials, lipid–polymer hybrids, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Their mechanisms of targeting, therapeutic applications in chronic diseases, challenges in clinical translation, and future directions are thoroughly discussed. The current literature strongly supports the growing potential of smart nanocarriers in shaping the next generation of chronic disease therapeutics.