Carbon Nanotubes: An Emerging Drug Carrier for Targeting Cancer Cells. (24th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rastogi, Vaibhav; Yadav, Pragya; Bhattacharya, Shiv Sankar; Mishra, Arun Kumar; Verma, Navneet; Verma, Anurag; Pandit, Jayanta Kumar
• Other Names: Junginger Hans E. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of drug delivery. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-04-24
• Subjects: Drug delivery systems -- Periodicals; 615.605
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/670815
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-3014

Abstract

Abstract : During recent years carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been attracted by many researchers as a drug delivery carrier. CNTs are the third allotropic form of carbon-fullerenes which were rolled into cylindrical tubes. To be integrated into the biological systems, CNTs can be chemically modified or functionalised with therapeutically active molecules by forming stable covalent bonds or supramolecular assemblies based on noncovalent interactions. Owing to their high carrying capacity, biocompatibility, and specificity to cells, various cancer cells have been explored with CNTs for evaluation of pharmacokinetic parameters, cell viability, cytotoxicty, and drug delivery in tumor cells. This review attempts to highlight all aspects of CNTs which render them as an effective anticancer drug carrier and imaging agent. Also the potential application of CNT in targeting metastatic cancer cells by entrapping biomolecules and anticancer drugs has been covered in this review.