Application of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticle for Drug Delivery System

Efforts in developing various colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) as theranostic probes have been promising in the biomedical field. Specifically, colloidal gold nanoparticles (GNP) have been extensively utilized as a theranostic probe for molecular imaging and drug delivery owing to their unique physiochemical properties with excellent biocompatibility.

This review outlines and discusses the progress regarding gold nanoparticle synthesis methods for controlled geometry (spherical, rod, and cage), surface functionalization (covalent and non-covalent), and associated in vitro/in vivo cytotoxicity as well as some of the interesting diagnostic (imaging) and therapeutic (photo-thermal, drug delivery) applications.

GNP possesses several advantages compared to other traditional theranostic agents, we firmly believe that GNP based clinical approach will gain continuous interest with increasing numbers of innovations.