Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
11:32
Highly Stable, Functional Hairy Nanoparticles and Biopolymers from Wood Fibers: Towards Sustainable Nanotechnology
Published on: July 20, 2016
12.6K
Drug-Abuse Nanotechnology: Opportunities and Challenges.
Morteza Mahmoudi1, Sepideh Pakpour2,3, George Perry4
1Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital , Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States.
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
|June 1, 2018
Summary
Opioid addiction is a complex disorder with poorly understood mechanisms, leading to limited treatment success. Nanotechnology offers potential for new drug development and identifying at-risk individuals for opioid addiction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Opioid drug abuse and addiction are complex disorders influenced by numerous interacting genetic and molecular pathways.
- Despite significant progress, fundamental mechanisms underlying drug dependence remain poorly understood, hindering effective prevention and treatment strategies.
- The societal and economic burden of opioid abuse is substantial, exacerbated by increasing global mortality rates from drug overdoses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the potential of nanotechnology in addressing challenges in opioid addiction.
- To explore nanotechnology-based platforms for improved drug development for addiction treatment.
- To investigate nanotechnology applications for identifying individuals vulnerable to opioid addiction.
Main Methods:
- This perspective reviews current understanding of opioid addiction mechanisms.
- It discusses the potential applications of nanotechnology in drug development and patient screening.
- The focus is on conceptualizing novel approaches rather than presenting experimental data.
Main Results:
- Current approaches have limited success in preventing and treating opioid addiction.
- Nanotechnology presents promising avenues for developing more effective therapeutics.
- Nanotechnology platforms could enable early identification and screening of at-risk populations.
Conclusions:
- Nanotechnology holds significant potential to advance the field of opioid addiction research and treatment.
- Developing practical nanotechnology-based platforms is crucial for future progress.
- Further research integrating nanotechnology is needed to combat the opioid crisis effectively.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
1.3K
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not...
1.3K
01:25Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Drug Interactions
455
Drug interactions occur when the pharmacological effect of one drug is altered by another substance, either enhancing or diminishing its activity. The drug whose activity is altered is known as the object drug, and the substance causing the alteration is called the agent drug or the precipitant. The net effects of these interactions are mostly undesirable, leading to decreased effectiveness or increased adverse effects. In rare cases, interactions can be beneficial, such as the enhanced...
455
01:09Bioequivalence of Drugs: Drugs with Multiple Indications
163
The concept of therapeutic equivalence (TE) in drugs with multiple indications is complex. A generic drug may be therapeutically equivalent to a brand-name product for one specific indication, but this doesn't necessarily mean it's equivalent for all other indications. Evidence of TE in one patient group and bioequivalence shown in healthy volunteers can support—but not confirm—TE for other indications. However, definitive proof requires individual clinical studies for each...
163
01:26FDA Approved Drugs: Changes to Approved Drugs
273
Post-approval, manufacturers may modify an approved new or generic drug product. Such modifications can encompass alterations in the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), manufacturing process, formulation, batch size, manufacturing site, and container closure system (FDA Guidance for Industry, April 2004). Often, a drug product may undergo multiple changes.These modifications require careful evaluation to determine their potential impact on the drug product's identity, strength, quality,...
273
01:26Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Food and Drug–Viral Interactions
257
A drug interaction occurs when the concurrent use of another drug, food, or an external substance alters the pharmacological activity of a drug. This interaction can modify the action of the original drug, affecting its effectiveness and safety.Drug–food interactions are significant as they impact drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion. For example, grapefruit juice is a well-known disruptor of drug metabolism. It inhibits the cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme, crucial for the metabolism of...
257
01:27Factors Influencing Drug Absorption: Drug Dissolution
1.2K
The pharmacokinetic journey of drugs from solid oral dosage forms into systemic circulation is multifaceted. It begins with disintegration, a prerequisite ensuring a solid dosage form's subdivision into minute particles. Dissolution occurs next as these granulated entities solubilize in gastrointestinal fluids. This solubilization is crucial for the succeeding stage, permeation, which describes the traversal of the drug across the intestinal membrane and its subsequent entry into the blood...
1.2K