Abstract: Bioactive peptides have been used to prevent or treat various diseases because of their high physiological activity and biocompatibility. Nanocarriers play an important role in the stabilization of bioactive peptides and can provide strong protection for bioactive peptides passing through the gastrointestinal tract. The bioavailability of bioactive peptides is often greatly reduced when they are orally administered. Nanoparticles have been prepared as an oral delivery system to enhance the bioavailability of bioactive peptides and thus improve therapeutic targeting. Accordingly, this article reviews the current status of studies on nanocarrier systems for the oral delivery of bioactive peptides with focuses on the conditions of oral delivery as well as various multifunctional delivery systems and their applications, aiming to provide a reference for maximizing the utilization of bioactive peptides.

Key words: bioactive peptides; oral administration; nanocarriers; delivery systems