Expanding arsenal against colorectal cancer using guar gum-based nanocarriers: A review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of mortality across the globe. Chemotherapy is a common tactic, but because of its array of disadvantages, its applications via oral and intravenous routes have been curtailed. The polymeric nanoparticulate delivery comprising naturally occurring guar gum polymer was found to be promising for delivering cargo at colon. Different guar gum-based nanocarriers (NCs) like conventional NCs, lipidic and inorganic, stimuli-responsive, and active targeted NCs are capable of enhancing the stability of drugs in the stomach and small intestine, preventing premature therapeutics release in the stomach and small intestine. Thus, guar gum-based nanoplatforms can treat CRC efficiently by achieving colon-specific cargo release. Low drug loading, varying particle size, vulnerability to contamination by microbes, scalability, regulatory issues, and the scarcity of clinical trials against CRC are the main drawbacks of these NCs. This review discusses current treatment modalities for CRC and associated challenges. The importance of guar gum-based NCs and diverse guar gum-based NCs explored in delivery of therapeutics against CRC are discussed in several case studies. Furthermore, significance of guar gum-based nanoformulations with probiotics in targeting CRC is briefed. In a nutshell, guar gum-based NCs could be an optimistic approach to alleviate CRC efficiently.