A Review on Metal–Organic Frameworks as Technological Excipients: Synthesis, Characterization, Toxicity, and Application in Drug Delivery Systems

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are also known as porous coordination polymers. This kind of material is constructed with inorganic nodes (metal ions or clusters) with organic linkers and has emerged as a promising class of materials with several unique properties. Well-known applications of MOFs include their use as gas storage and in separation, catalysis, carbon dioxide capture, sensing, slender film gadgets, photodynamic therapy, malignancy biomarkers, treatment, and biomedical imaging. Over the past 15 years, an increasing amount of research has been directed to MOFs due to their advanced applications in fuel cells, supercapacitors, catalytic conversions, and drug delivery systems. Various synthesis methods have been proposed to achieve MOFs with nanometric size and increased surface area, controlled surface topology, and chemical activity for industrial use. In this context, the pharmaceutical industry has been watching the accelerated development of these materials with great attention. Thus, the objective of this work is to study the synthesis, characterization, and toxicity of MOFs as potential technological excipients for the development of drug carriers. This work highlights the use of MOFs not only as delivery systems (DDSs) but also in advanced diagnostics and therapies, such as photodynamic therapy and targeted delivery to tumors. Bibliometric analyses showed a growing interest in the topic, emphasizing its contemporary relevance.