Pharmacological potential of bioactive engineered nanomaterials

In this study we present an overview of the recent results of a novel approach to antioxidant and anticancer therapies, consisting in the administration of intrinsically active nano-structured particles. Their particulate (as opposed to molecular) nature allows designing multifunctional platforms via the binding of molecular determinants, including targeting molecules and chemotherapy drugs, thereby facilitating their localization at the desired site. The intrinsic activity of nanomaterials with pharmacological potential include peculiar trans-excitation reactions that render them able to transform radiofrequency, UV, visible or infrared radiations into cytocidal reactive oxygen species or heat, thereby inducing local cytotoxity in selected areas. The use of such devices has been shown to improve the efficacy of antitumor chemo- and radio-therapies, increasing the selectivity of the cytocidal effects, and reducing systemic side effects. In addition, catalytic nanomaterials such as cerium oxide nanoparticles can perform energy-free antioxidant cycles that scavenge the most noxious reactive oxygen species via SOD- and catalase-mimetic activities. A vast body of in vivo and in vitro studies has demonstrated that they reduce the damage induced by environmental stress and ameliorate an impressive series of clinically relevant oxidation-related pathologies. Similar effects are reported for carbon-based materials such as fullerenes. Overall, great improvements are expected by this novel approach. However, caution must be posed due to the poor knowledge of possible adverse body reactions against these novel devices, thoroughly analyzing the biocompatibility of these nanomaterials, especially concerning the biokinetics and the problems potentially caused by long term retention of non-biodegradable inorganic nanomaterials.