Table 3 Advantages and disadvantages of different drug delivery-release modes

EPR-pH

GQD

pH

EPR

Low-pH

Load efficiency: ~ 82.5% [41]

Release efficiency: 60% (pH 7.4, 9 h), 100% (pH 7.4, 48 h) [184]

The most widely used drug delivery-release mode

The drug is sometimes lost during the delivery, which leads to a decrease in the treatment efficiency

Ligand-pH

GQD

pH

Ligand-receptor

Low-pH

Drug loading value: 16.6 wt% [191]

Drug loading value: 21 wt% [192]

Drug loading efficiency: 64%, Release efficiency: 50% (pH 7.4, 48 h) [193]

It can accurately deliver drugs

The drug is sometimes lost during the delivery, which leads to a decrease in the treatment efficiency

EPR-Photothermal

GQD

pH, Hydrophobic interaction

EPR

Photothermal

Drug loading efficiency: 70.8%, Release efficiency: ~ 40% (pH 7.4, 3 h) [123]

Drug loading efficiency: ~ 97% [196]

It can control the release of drugs through NIR radiation, which reduces the early release of drugs and improves the efficiency of drug treatment

Because of lacking ligand and does not have a targeting function

Core/shell-photothermal/Magnetic Thermal

Core/shell structure

Stirring

Magnetic field

Photothermal/magnetic Thermal

Drug loading capacity: 47 μg mg⁻¹ [141]

It can effectively prevent the early release of drug during the delivery, and could enhanced the tumor treatment efficacy through significantly improved the cell penetration efficiency and cell absorption capacity

The load core is relatively new, and animal testing is not enough