Amphiphilic polymers have shown great potential as the promising drug carriers for tumor-targeting drug delivery applications due to their own unique advantage that they can self-assemble into micelles with core-shell structures by the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interaction in aqueous solution.Recently

amphiphilic polymeric micelles based on starch are receiving more and more attention because of their abundant resource and low price of starch

and the good biocompatibility and biodegradability.As drug carriers

polymeric micelles based on starch can improve the solubility of hydrophobic drug

extend drug circulation time in vivo

reduce systemic side effects and increase the preferential acculation at the targeted sites by the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect.In addition

compare with the traditional micellar systems

some groups with stimuli-responsive functions can be easily introduced to starch backbone to prepare smart polymeric micelles realizing rapid and targeted release drug.Therefore

due to these features above

polymeric micelles based on starch as drug carriers have broad development potential.The review highlights the latest progress in polymeric micelles based on starch as novel drug carriers.