Layered Double Hydroxide Nanomaterials: Biomedical Applications, Current Status and Challenges

Layered double hydroxide nanomaterials (LDH NMs) have been dragging the researchers’ attention toward biomedical applications owing to their physiochemical properties, biocompatibility, environmental sensitivity and good cellular uptake mechanisms. Various synthetic methods have been presented in brief. This paper draws attention toward the modification and functionalization of LDH nanostructures for biomedical applications in targeted and controlled drug release, anticancer, bioimaging, bone therapy and regeneration, gene delivery, ophthalmic and antitumor activities. Further, it explains the properties of conjugated LDH NMs which put forward their possibilities to be used in synthesizing the most demanding vaccine for COVID-19 pandemic. Current scenario, challenges and future perspective of LDH NMs have also been discussed.