Smart nanomaterials enabling drug delivery and glucose monitoring for diabetes management

Abstract Diabetes mellitus represents one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide, posing serious challenges to global health and healthcare sustainability. Conventional therapeutic strategies often face limitations such as poor bioavailability, frequent dosing, and lack of real-time glucose regulation. The emergence of smart nanotechnology offers transformative possibilities for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diabetes within the broader framework of smart health and precision medicine. This review highlights recent advances in the design and application of nanomaterials for diabetes management, focusing on two key areas: drug delivery and glucose monitoring. Smart nanocarriers comprising polymeric, lipid-based, and metallic nanoparticles enable controlled and stimuli-responsive insulin release, improved pharmacokinetic profiles, and enhanced patient compliance. Concurrently, nano-enabled biosensors and wearable devices have revolutionized continuous glucose monitoring through superior sensitivity, selectivity, and integration with digital health platforms. The convergence of nanotechnology with artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), and real-world health data further accelerates personalized diabetes care by enabling predictive monitoring and adaptive insulin therapy. Despite remarkable progress, challenges remain regarding clinical translation, long-term biosafety, and regulatory standardization. This review discusses these aspects comprehensively and provides future perspectives on integrating smart nanotechnology into sustainable, patient-centered diabetes management systems. Graphical abstract