Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
09:47
Facile Preparation of Internally Self-assembled Lipid Particles Stabilized by Carbon Nanotubes
Published on: February 19, 2016
Toxicity of carbon nanotubes
Jing Wang1, Yuanzhi Xu, Zhi Yang
1Chairman, Department of Stomatology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072, P.R. China. raoraowang@tongji.edu.cn.
Current Drug Metabolism
|September 11, 2013
Summary
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) show medical promise but pose health risks. This review details CNT toxicity factors, mechanisms, and effects on organs like the lungs and heart.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offer unique properties for medical applications.
- Potential health hazards associated with CNTs necessitate thorough investigation.
- Toxicity is influenced by CNT structural characteristics, surface properties, and composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize current knowledge on CNT toxicity.
- To elucidate factors contributing to CNT-induced toxic effects.
- To detail toxic mechanisms at various biological levels (systemic, organic, cellular, biomacromolecular).
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of in vivo and in vitro studies on CNT toxicity.
- Analysis of reported toxic effects across multiple organ systems.
- Examination of mechanisms at cellular and biomacromolecular levels.
Main Results:
- CNTs impact blood and lymph circulation, lungs, heart, kidneys, spleen, and bone marrow.
- The blood-brain barrier can be affected by CNT exposure.
- Toxicity varies based on CNT characteristics and exposure context.
Conclusions:
- Understanding CNT toxicity is crucial for safe medical applications.
- Further research is required to fully comprehend CNT toxicity and mechanisms.
- Detailed knowledge is needed to mitigate potential risks associated with CNT use.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Toxic Reactions: Overview
When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
01:24Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions
Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
01:36Types of Toxins
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
01:23Toxicity Testing in Animals
Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...
01:25Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity
Bioactivation is a metabolic process that transforms less reactive substances into highly reactive metabolites, initiating tissue toxicity. This transformation can lead to various toxic effects, including carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. Reactive metabolites are classified into two main types: electrophiles and free radicals.Electrophiles are electron-deficient species and are produced primarily by the enzyme cytochrome P-450 during the metabolism of compounds containing carbon, nitrogen, or...
01:00Drug Toxicity: Overview
Drug toxicity quantifies the harm a compound causes to an organism, varying by dose and potentially impacting whole systems or specific organs like the liver. Toxic reactions may arise from venomous insect or spider bites, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to severe outcomes such as brain damage or death. Common forms of acute poisoning include ethanol intoxication and overdose of pain or fever medications, with substances like GHB and heroin being particularly lethal at doses close to...