A Review on Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Polycaprolactone as a Novel Drug Delivery System and Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Biodegradable plastics play a critical role in reducing the build-up of solid wastes. Increasing efforts have been made to develop non-degradable and chemically degradable products to replace current plastics. Polycaprolactone (PCL), an aliphatic polyester and biocompatible thermoplastic, is the "green" material and one of the most promising and widely used materials with the most significant development potential. This biodegradable plastic is utilized in various applications including medication release monitoring, tissue processing, bone scaffolding, bag shielding, and composting. This study provides a summary of the latest PCL-based biomaterial architectures and their uses, including drug delivery, various organ tissue engineering applications, biodegradation, and PCL safety. It is also concluded that combining PCL with other materials to create nanocomposites enhances the properties of the resultant products and broadens the range of applications.