The convergence of nanoscience and drug delivery has prompted the formation of the field of nanomedicine, one that exploits the novel physicochemical and biological properties of nanostructures for improved medical treatments and reduced side effects. Until recently, this nanostructure-mediated strategy considered the drug to be solely a biologically active compound to be delivered, and its potential as a molecular building unit remained largely unexplored. A growing trend within nanomedicine has been the use of drug molecules to build well-defined nanostructures of various sizes and shapes. This strategy allows for the creation of self-delivering supramolecular nanomedicines containing a high and fixed drug content. Through rational design of the number and type of the drug incorporated, the resulting nanostructures can be tailored to assume various morphologies (e.g. nanospheres, rods, nanofibers, or nanotubes) for a particular mode of administration such as systemic, topical, and local delivery. This review covers the recent advances in this rapidly developing field, with the aim of providing an in-depth evaluation of the exciting opportunities that this new field could create to improve the current clinical practice of nanomedicine.

中文翻译：

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用药物构建纳米结构

纳米科学和药物输送的融合促进了纳米医学领域的形成，该领域利用纳米结构的新颖的物理化学和生物学特性来改善医学治疗并减少副作用。直到最近，这种纳米结构介导的策略还认为药物只是一种要传递的生物活性化合物，其作为分子构建单元的潜力在很大程度上仍未被开发。纳米医学的一个增长趋势是使用药物分子构建各种尺寸和形状的明确纳米结构。该策略允许创建含有高且固定药物含量的自传递超分子纳米药物。通过合理设计所掺入药物的数量和类型，可以定制所得的纳米结构以呈现各种形态（例如纳米球、棒、纳米纤维或纳米管），用于特定的给药模式，例如全身、局部和局部递送。本综述涵盖了这一快速发展领域的最新进展，旨在深入评估这一新领域可能为改善纳米医学当前临床实践所创造的令人兴奋的机会。