Marine biomaterials as drug delivery system for osteoporosis and bone tissue regeneration

Abstract

There is currently an urgent need to develop sustainable and therapeutically relevant advanced drug delivery systems to treat the prevalence of ongoing human diseases and ailments. The effectiveness of such system will depend primarily on the properties and characteristics of the carrier material. In this chapter, marine materials are investigated as potential drug delivery carriers for bone tissue engineering and in the treatment of osteoporosis. This chapter will explore the unique structures of marine materials that set it apart from its synthetic counterparts and the conversion to biocompatible calcium phosphates combined with synthetic modifications, and case studies will demonstrate the potential clinical applications.