Renewable-Feedstock Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery: Evidence Mapping and Translational Readiness

Sustainable nanotechnologies derived from renewable resources are increasingly positioned at the interface of green chemistry, advanced drug delivery, and translational pharma- ceutics. Over the past decade, lignocellulosic nanomaterials, chitin/chitosan platforms, polysaccharide-based nanogels and hydrogels, lignin- and polyphenol-derived nanos- tructures, and bio-based lipid nanocarriers have been engineered through progressively eco-efficient routes, including solvent-minimized self-assembly, nanoprecipitation, spray drying, hot-melt extrusion, and microfluidic-assisted fabrication. This work provides a structured evidence map of nano-enabled drug delivery and therapeutic platforms derived from renewable biological resources. Specifically, we aim to (i) identify and classify nano- platform classes and renewable feedstocks, (ii) summarize reported pharmaceutical critical quality attributes (CQAs), performance and safety endpoints, and (iii) appraise how ‘re- newability’ and ‘green’ claims are evidenced (feedstock origin vs process sustainability) and how frequently translational readiness factors (scalability, quality control, regulatory align- ment) are addressed. We critically compare renewable and conventional nanomaterial plat- forms across key translational dimensions, including carbon footprint, batch consistency, biodegradability, functional tunability, safety/persistence, and scale-up maturity. Finally, we delineate a practical translational pathway—from biomass sourcing and fractionation to nanoformulation, characterization/stability, and GMP scale-up—highlighting cross-cutting enablers such as life-cycle assessment, EHS/toxicology risk assessment, Quality-by-Design, and regulatory alignment. Collectively, the evidence supports renewable nanomaterials as viable, scalable candidates for next-generation therapeutics, provided that variability control, standardized characterization, and safety-by-design principles are embedded early in development.