ABSTRACT Poly(salicylic acid) (PSA) compounds, as representative examples of “carrier‐drug integrated” materials, effectively overcome issues such as low bioavailability, short half‐life, and systemic toxicity associated with the small‐molecule form of salicylic acid (SA) by incorporating this traditional drug molecule into the polymer backbone or side chains. This paper provided a systematic review of PSA synthesis strategies, including self‐polymerization, copolymerization, and grafting onto polymer backbones, with a focus on its extensive applications in the biomedical field. PSA materials demonstrated exceptional performance in antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer applications. Through mechanisms such as smart‐response release, targeted delivery, and synergistic therapy, they enabled precise intervention against diseases including infections, inflammation, and tumors. Furthermore, PSA has demonstrated significant potential in applications such as cardiovascular disease treatment, bone repair, and diabetic wound healing. Despite notable achievements in functional design and clinical application of PSA materials, their clinical translation still faces challenges including in vivo behavior studies, large‐scale synthesis, and multi‐response system design. Future research will focus on developing intelligent PSA materials, advancing their application in areas such as integrated diagnosis and treatment, and immunotherapy.
Chen et al. (Sun,) studied this question.