Gallium and gallium compounds: New insights into the “Trojan horse” strategy in medical applications

[Display omitted] •Antineoplastic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and osteogenic properties of gallium are reviewed.•The mechanisms of biological activity of gallium are outlined.•The classification and recent optimization of gallium-containing delivery systems are concluded.•Challenges and future prospects of gallium medical application based on iron-blocking therapy are discussed. Infection, inflammation, tumors, and other illnesses have for a long time posed a major danger to human health and have developed into a global public health issue. However, the existing treatment methods are sometimes not effective, leading to high mortality. Therefore, it is urgent to seek new alternative therapies. Gallium and related derivatives have received a lot of interest recently because of their exceptional biological safety and distinctive pharmacological properties. More crucially, gallium and its compounds have the potential to specifically destroy iron metabolism, called the “Trojan Horse” strategy, which provides unparalleled opportunities in antibacterial, anti-tumor, and bone regeneration. In this review, gallium and its compounds-based biomedical applications in antibacterial, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and bone regeneration are focused upon and the relevant therapeutic mechanisms are discussed. Then, the latest gallium-based drug design and drug delivery system are summarized. Finally, we put forward the limitations of current gallium materials and the development trend of future materials. This review is anticipated to offer new insights into the treatment of gallium and its compounds, and provide new inspiration for application and design in the future.