Cancer is one of the most serious public health issues worldwide, demanding ongoing efforts to find novel therapeutic agents and approaches. Amid growing interest in the oncological applications of phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols, resveratrol—a naturally occurring polyphenolic stilbene derivative—has emerged as a candidate of interest. This review analyzes the pleiotropic anti-cancer effects of resveratrol, including its modulation of apoptotic pathways, cell cycle regulation, inflammation, angiogenesis, and metastasis, its interaction with cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment. The effects of resveratrol on mitochondrial functions, which are crucial to cancer development, are also discussed. Future research directions are identified, including the elucidation of specific molecular targets, to facilitate the clinical translation of resveratrol in cancer prevention and therapy.

The development of effective delivery systems remains an important challenge in modern pharmaceutical and biomedical research, driving the development of biocompatible materials with versatile functional properties. This review provides an integrated overview of chitosan-based delivery systems, focusing on chitosan nanoparticles, chitosan derivatives, and hybrid systems. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between the structural and functional characteristics of chitosan-based systems and their potential applications in pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. In addition to established applications, emerging approaches involving nucleic acid delivery, gene therapy, theranostics, and other biomedical applications are discussed. A further focus of this review is the consideration of critical quality attributes relevant to the development of GMP-oriented chitosan-based systems, providing a perspective that links material characteristics with quality and translational requirements. By integrating these aspects, this review highlights the versatility of chitosan as a platform for the development of innovative pharmaceutical and biomedical delivery technologies.

During the previous decade, chitosan has emerged as a highly valued biopolymer with diverse uses in the field of pharmacy. This review is intended to present information published during the recent years on the pharmacological properties of chitosan, multiple chitosan-based delivery systems and routes of drug administration of chitosan nanoparticles. Recent scientific research demonstrates that chitosan represents a valuable candidate for designing non-invasive drug delivery strategies. Chitosan nanoparticles are capable of optimizing drug pharmacokinetics, increasing local drug concentrations, and reducing overall systemic toxicity. Chemical and biological properties of chitosan make it suitable for a wide range of drug administration pathways, from conventional oral systems to advanced gene therapy approaches. Despite promising preclinical results, clinical application faces several challenges such as production standardization and regulatory hurdles.