Recent advances in galactose-engineered nanocarriers for the site-specific delivery of siRNA and anticancer drugs

•Glycone recognition is a futuristic platform for active targeting.•Galactose is widely explored carbohydrate ligand for targeted drug delivery.•Recent advances of various galactosylated nano-carriers for tumor-targeting are overviewed.•Galactosylated nano-carriers may be considered as safe and effective delivery system. Galactosylated nanocarriers have recently emerged as viable and versatile tools to deliver drugs at an optimal rate specifically to their target tissues or cells, thus maximizing their therapeutic benefits while circumventing off-target effects. The abundance of lectin receptors on cell surfaces makes the galactosylated carriers suitable for the targeted delivery of bioactives. Additionally, tethering of galactose (GAL) to various carriers, including micelles, liposomes, and nanoparticles (NPs), might also be appropriate for drug delivery. Here, we review recent advances in the development of galactosylated nanocarriers for active tumor targeting. We also provide a brief overview of the targeting mechanisms and cell receptor theory involved in the ligand–receptor-mediated delivery of drug carriers. Galactose-functionalized nanocarriers open new avenues for the design of highly effective multifunctional, targeted drug delivery systems.