1*Associate Professor, Basic Science & Humanities, Specialization: Organic chemistry, soil chemistry, polymer chemistry, environmental chemistry, Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 209305. Email: dr.sarikabajpai@gmail.com. ORCID ID: http://Orcid.org/0009-0002-9265-8151
2Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Government P.G. College, Ranikhet, Almora, Uttarakhand, India. Email: drbharatpandey@gmail.com. ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0280-3064
3Assistant Professor, Institute of Applied Sciences, Specialization- Chemistry, Mangalayatan University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. Email: drmanish.2rao@gmail.com, manish.ambedkar@mangalayatan.edu.in. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7179-9337
4Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, O P Jindal University, Punjipathra, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. Email: kavita.patel@opju.ac.in, kavitapatel0903@gmail.com. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1245-3395
5Assistant Professor, School of Allied Health Sciences (AHS), CGC University, Mohali -140307, Punjab. Email: star.amandeep@gmail.com
6Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry Specialization: Polymer Chemistry, Wazir Ram Sing Government College Dehri, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh 176022. Email: rohit.chem.hp@gmail.com
Polymeric nanocarriers is gaining an emerging spotlight in present-day treatment for cancer owing to their ability to enhance effectiveness by drug delivery through increasing stability and aiding targeted delivery of therapeutic agents while also providing controlled release of therapeutic agents. pH-responsive polymeric nanocarriers have attracted much interest due to the potential that they offer to take advantage of the acidic conditions that are present in tumour tissues for more selective delivery of therapeutic agents. These systems are used to concentrate anticancer drugs at the site of the disease and downregulate the exposure to healthy tissues, thus improving the efficiency of the anticancer treatment and decreasing the adverse effects. This review is concerned with the latest advances in the development of pH-sensitive polymeric nanocarriers for targeted anticancer therapy. Emphasis is laid on their design principles, synthesis methods and chemical characterisation techniques. Previous research findings related to polymeric nanocarrier systems, fabrication approaches, drug loading methods as well as pH-triggered release mechanisms were examined. Common preparation techniques such as nanoprecipitation, emulsion solvent evaporation, and self-assembly are considered alongside emerging fabrication strategies, including microfluidic-based synthesis and layer-by-layer assembly methods. Studies have demonstrated that pH-responsive nanocarriers can achieve higher drug encapsulation efficiency, improved stability, and regulated drug release under acidic tumour conditions. Drug release can occur through mechanisms such as the cleavage of acid-sensitive bonds or swelling of polymer matrices caused by protonation of functional groups. Moreover, the development of multifunctional nanocarriers that combine therapeutic delivery with imaging, photothermal therapy, or photodynamic therapy has opened new opportunities for theranostic applications. Overall, polymeric nanocarriers represent a promising platform for targeted cancer treatment. Continued advances in polymer chemistry, nanofabrication technologies, and multifunctional system design are expected to further enhance their clinical potential. Future work should focus on improving scalability, ensuring long-term safety, and facilitating the successful translation of these systems into clinical practice.
Keywords: Anticancer Drug Delivery, Nanocarriers, pH-Responsive Polymers, Polymeric Nanoparticles, Targeted Therapy.
How to cite this article: Bajpai S, Pandey B, Ambedkar MR, Patel K, Singh A, Rohit. Design And Chemical Characterisation Of pH-Responsive Polymeric Nanocarriers For Targeted Anticancer Drug Delivery. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(15s): 294-305. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.15s.37
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None