Nanotechnology is manipulating matter at the atomic and molecular level to make materials with distinctive and new properties. It is an area of research growing quickly and has a lot of potential in many fields, from medicine and construction to electronics and construction. Nanomedicine is the branch of science that combines nanotechnology with drugs or diagnostic molecules to make it easier to target specific cells or tissues. Nanomedicine has the potential to change how drugs are delivered, how genes are treated, how diagnoses are made, how images are made, and many other areas of research, development, and clinical use.
The prefix “nano” comes from the Greek word for “dwarf[1]” In science, one billionth of something is referred to as a manometer (nm), which is one billionth of a meter, or 0.000000001 meters. The standard wavelength range is 1 to 100 nm. However, there is no definitive rule that defines this limit. Because the Chemical and biological properties of the materials do not change abruptly at 100 nm, the maximum size that a material can have to be considered a nanomaterial is just an arbitrary value[2].
The manufacturing of nanomaterials involves two different approaches: top-down and bottom-down.[2] The top-down process involves the mechanical or chemical breakdown of bulk material into smaller pieces. In contrast, the bottom-up process begins with atomic or molecular species and allows the precursor particles to grow in size through chemical reactions.
In medicine, manipulating structures and properties at the nanoscale allows you to handle cell components, viruses, or DNA fragments using various tiny tools, robots, and tubes. Nanotechnology was first introduced in 1959 when physicist Richard Feynman presented the idea of making things at the atomic and molecular levels. Nanotechnology has emerged as the most promising technology of the twenty-first century, with researchers investigating it as a novel technique in medical research.
In medicine, extensive research is ongoing about the best practices and methods, such as nephrology, gene therapy, a therapeutic gene for cardiovascular disease, and cancer therapy. Traditional treatments have changed in a significant way, and nanoparticles and nanotechnology have improved and shown promising results. Both wearable devices can pick up on critical changes in vital signs, conditions of cancer cells, and infections in the body. As these technologies are at the source of the problem, doctors will have much better direct access to critical data about why and when illness changes occur.
Using nanotechnology, high-toxicity treatments can be administered with increased safety today. This article will examine the various applications of nanomaterials in nanomedicine and the risks associated with using nanomedicine.
Controlled drug delivery:
Most current commercial uses in medicine in nanotechnologies aim at medication delivery. Nanotechnology can target medication at particular cells in the body, reducing the risks of failure and rejection. The majority of current commercial applications of nanotechnologies in medicine are aimed at medication delivery. Nanotechnology can be used to target medication at specific cells in the body, reducing the chances of failure and rejection.
Target specification involves attaching nanoparticles onto drugs or liposomes to increase specific localization. Because each cell type has its own set of characteristics, nanotechnology can be used to “recognize” cells of interest [3] and “trigger” their release from within the body. This allows drugs and therapeutics associated with the disease to reach diseased tissue while avoiding healthy cells.
This enables medications and therapies linked with the disease to reach sick tissue while avoiding healthy cells. Targeting cells directly through therapy reports; minimal damage to healthy cells, minimized adverse effects, and tissue damage. As a result, clinicians can detect and improve their impact on sick cells and tumors to optimize therapy dosages. However, due to the ill-defined parameters associated with creating the ratio of nanoparticles to the drug of interest, very few nanomedicines exist that successfully use nanotechnology in this manner.
Nanobots and nanoparticles:
Therapies that involve the manipulation of individual genes or the molecular pathways that influence their expression are becoming a more prevalent form of treatment for diseases. The main goal in this field is the ability to personalize treatments to individual patients’ genetic makeup. This involves the creation of tools to assist scientists in experimenting with and developing such treatments.
Australian National University scientists have been able to attach coated latex beads to the ends of modified DNA. Using an “optical trap” consisting of a focused beam of light to hold the beads in place, they have stretched out the DNA strand to study the interactions of specific binding proteins.[4]
Another example is the chemists at New York University (NYU) have created a nanoscale robot that walks on two legs that are only 10 nanometers long. In a 2004 paper published in the journal Nano Letters, the researchers describe how their “nanowalker” takes its first steps, two forward and two back, with the aid of psoralen molecules attached to the tips of its feet[4].
The work that one of the researchers, Ned Seeman, and his colleagues are doing is a prime example of “biomimetics,” in which they use nanotechnology to imitate certain biological processes in nature, such as the behavior of DNA, in order to engineer new methods and possibly improve them.
Additionally, nanobots made from other substances are in development. For instance, Northwestern University scientists use gold to create “nanostars” – simple, specialized, star-shaped nanoparticles that can deliver drugs directly to the nucleas of cancer cells. Researchers discovered that by giving their nanobot a star shape, they were able to overcome one of the challenges of using nanoparticles to deliver drugs: how to release the drugs precisely. According to them, the shape aids in concentrating the light pulses used to release the drugs precisely at the star’s points[4].
Treating cancer
Nanotechnology is regarded as one of the most promising breakthroughs in medication supply in today’s fight against cancer. Over 90% of cancer deaths are caused by metastatic cancer – which spreads from the site of origin to a distant part of the body. Nanoparticles are expected to transport standard cancer medications to tumors with fewer side effects and to enable the targeted killing of cancer cells in non-traditional therapies.
Nanobots that target specific cancer cells can also send data back to researchers to ensure that patients receive the proper treatment. Nanotechnology has the potential to improve in-vitro diagnosis (In vitro diagnostics (IVD) are tests performed on samples of blood or tissue taken from the body) by replacing existing procedures with easier alternatives. Nanoparticles act as molecular imaging agents within these devices, providing information about cancer-related genetic alterations and tumor cell functional features.
Scientists are discovering Protein-based drugs, which are extremely useful because they can be programmed to deliver specific signals to cells. However, the problem with traditional drug delivery is that the body breaks down the majority of the drugs before they reach their destination.
The MIT researchers demonstrated the construction of “nanofactories” that produce protein compounds on demand at specific locations. They have so far tested the concept in mice by creating nanoparticles programmed to produce either green fluorescent protein (GFP) or luciferase when exposed to UV light[5].
Another example would be the Harvard Medical School researchers in the United States. They built an “origami nanorobot” out of DNA to transport molecules containing instructions that cause cells to behave in a specific way. The researchers successfully demonstrated how they delivered molecules that cause cell suicide in leukemia and lymphoma cells in their study[4].
Nanofibers
Nanofibers with diameters less than 1,000 nm are used in wound dressing, surgical textiles, implants, tissue engineering, and artificial organ components. The surgical meshes currently used to repair the protective membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord are made of thick, stiff material that is difficult to work with. The lead nanofiber mesh is thinner, more flexible, and absorbed into the tissue when the wound heals. The nanofiber mesh threads are thousands of times smaller than a single cell’s diameter, including coagulation, antibiotics, and even sensors to detect infectious symptoms.
The idea is to use the nanofiber material to make operations easier for surgeons and reduce post-op complications for patients because it naturally degrades over time. Researchers hope nanofibers will improve drug delivery for cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as aid in the regeneration of human tissue, bone, and cartilage.
Although the range of benefits and advancements nanotechnology brings to the field of medicine, it has considerable challenges.
Safety concerns:
In order to implement a large-scale form of treatment in medicine, it is critical to ensure the public’s trust that this rapidly expanding technology is safe. The National Cancer Institute says that because there are so many nanoparticles naturally present in the environment, “most engineered nanoparticles are far less toxic than household cleaning products, insecticides used on family pets, and over-the-counter dandruff remedies,” and that for example, when used as carriers of chemotherapeutics in cancer treatment, they are far less toxic than the drugs they carry. [3] However, some are concerned that while the pace of research intensifies and the market for nanomaterials expands, not enough is being done to discover their toxicological consequences.
Cost considerations:
Manufacturing nanotechnology is time-consuming and expensive, limiting its widespread production. Scientists must find a way to increase the production of materials and tools while lowering costs and timescales.
Technical issues:
In nanotechnology, size is the most important factor. While it is its primary advantage, it is also its primary disadvantage. Nanoparticles are so small that they can penetrate cell membranes. This means they can also access the brain and other parts of the body because they have access to the very core of a cell. What happens to insoluble nanoparticles? There is a risk that they will accumulate and damage organs if they cannot be broken down, digested, or degraded. Nanomaterials containing inorganic metal oxides and metals are considered the most dangerous in this area.
Furthermore, nanoparticles are highly reactive because of their high surface area-to-mass ratio. They may, for example, trigger unknown chemical reactions or enter cells that they would otherwise be unable to enter. As a result, the potential risk that nanotechnology poses to human health requires investigation and investigation. Most nanomaterials will most likely be found to be safe. However, when technology advances quickly, knowledge and communication about its safety must keep up for it to benefit, especially if it is to maintain public trust.
Despite these challenges, the future of nanotechnology in medicine looks promising. Nanotechnology advancements and new medical applications are being developed, potentially transforming healthcare. It will be critical to understanding how nanomedicines behave when they come into contact with different physiological characteristics of patients and disease states, indicating the continued need for nanotechnology research and development as it is critical for improving medical technology and providing better outcomes for patients.
Reference:
- International Institute for Nanotechnology. (n.d.). What is Nanotechnology? [online] Available at: https://www.iinano.org/what-is-nanotechnology/ [Accessed 1 May 2023].
- Soares, S., Sousa, J., Pais, A. and Vitorino, C. (2018). Nanomedicine: Principles, Properties, and Regulatory Issues. Frontiers in Chemistry, 6. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2018.00360.
- Vara, V. (2020). Nanotechnology in Medicine: Technology Trends. [online] www.medicaldevice-network.com. Available at: https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/comment/nanotechnology-medicine-technology/ [Accessed 1 May 2023].
- Paddock, C. (2012). Nanotechnology In Medicine: Huge Potential, But What Are The Risks? [online] www.medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244972 [Accessed 1 May 2023].
- MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (n.d.). Nano-sized ‘factories’ churn out proteins. [online] Available at: https://news.mit.edu/2012/protein-factories-nanoparticles-0409 [Accessed 1 May 2023].
