Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3.3
Medical Applications
The application of metallic NPs in the medical and biopharmaceutical fields are
both numerous and promising. AgNPs can be utilized as infection protection
(wound coatings, bone cements and implants) or prophylactic environment (paints,
disinfectants) due to their antibacterial effects (see specialized section [ Sect. 3.4 ]
for detail information). Other qualities of silver include regenerative properties
(skin regeneration) and wound-healing ability (dressing for burns and ulcers)
(Chaloupka et al. 2010 ). Another review article by Nair and Laurencin ( 2007 ) is
dedicated to therapeutic applications of AgNPs, particularly to their antibacterial,
antiviral, antifungal properties (remarkably, with regard to properties of bulk sil-
ver). Additionally, wound healing ability and the potential usage for surface
enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and metal enhanced fluorescence (both power-
ful tools for detection and identification) is discussed (Table 3 ).
The authors also recommend two recent review articles dealing with nanogold
pharmaceutical applications. The first article by Alanazi et al. ( 2010 ) describes
properties such as surface plasmon absorption, surface plasmon light scattering,
and the biosensing, diagnostic and therapeutic applications of AuNPs. The second
review by Patra et al. ( 2010 ) concerns the specific application and fabrication of
AuNPs for targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer.
Also magnetic NPs appear as very promising for targeted drug delivery or hyper-
thermia applications. For further reading, see the prominent review by Pankhurst
et al. ( 2003 ) and its continuance (Pankhurst et al. 2009 ) or other useful studies by
the following: (Cherukuri et al. 2010 ; Adarsh et al. 2010 ; Veiseh et al. 2010 ; Chen
and Schluesener 2008 ). On the other hand, we strongly disagree with the statement
and references dedicated to medical applications of biosynthesized metallic NPs in
paper by Rodríguez-Carmona and Villaverde ( 2010 ). Cited literature is misleading
and, excluding one study, has nothing to do with proposed applications.
Despite wide possibilities and theoretical application, only few records can be
found in recent literature. As previously mentioned, the obvious drawback of
Table 3 Medical applications
NP
Organism used
Application
Reference
Au
Cymbopogon citratus
- lemon grass
NIR tunable absorption;
coating technology
and hyperthermia of
cancer cells
Shankar et al. ( 2005 )
Au
Psidium guajava leaf
Antidiabetic study,
inhibition of PTP1B
Basha et al. ( 2010 )
Ag
Tea leaf extract
Biocompatible
Moulton et al. ( 2010 )
Fe 3 O 4
Magnetospirillum
gryphiswaldense
Drug carrier
Sun et al. ( 2008 )
Ag
Aspergillus niger
Wound healing activity
Sundaramoorthi et al. ( 2009 )
Au
Egg shell
Blood serum glucose sensor
Zheng et al. ( 2011 )
 
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