Nanoparticles are safe after all
Nanoparticles have outstanding properties, especially as far as illuminating tiny tumors or precisely delivering drugs is concerned. However, many have feared that they aren’t safe for use in humans, but it seems that they were wrong. Researchers from the University of California in San Diego created the first nanoparticle that has minimum toxic side effects.
Many nanoparticles that were designed so far are toxic and aren’t safe at all to use in humans. However, this one has almost no side effects. “This new design meets a growing need for non-toxic alternatives that have a chance to make it into the clinic to treat human patients,” said Michael Sailor, the leader of the research crew.
The scientists from San Diego tested their nanoparticles in mice, and saw tumors glow for several hours, then dim as the particles broke down. Levels dropped noticeably in a week and were undetectable after four weeks. Luminescent particles can reveal tumors too tiny to detect by other means or allow a surgeon to be sure all of a cancerous growth has been removed. These nanoparticles could also improve the drug delivery process. The cancer drug doxorubicin will stick to the pores and slowly escape as the silicon dissolves.
“The goal is to use the nanoparticles to chaperone the drug directly to the tumor, to release it into the tumor rather than other parts of the body,” said Sailor.
The details are published in Nature Materials.
Adapted from materials found at ucsd.edu
