[Carbon nanohorns as a novel drug carrier]

Carbon nanohorns are nanostructured spherical aggregates of graphitic tubes whose sizes are 80-100 nm in diameter. They have extensive surface area and don't need metal catalyst for their synthesis. The oxidization or acid treatment makes nano windows on their walls, through which distinct set of small molecules have been shown to infiltrate into their inner space. These unique properties of carbon nanohorns suggest the possible use of the nanomaterials as a novel carrier in drug delivery systems.