The Role of Fullerenes in Neurodegenerative Disorders

The use of carbon nanomaterials including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, carbon nano-onions, carbon dots and carbon quantum dots for environmental applications has increased substantially. These nanoparticles are now used in the development of sensors and switches, in agriculture as smart fertilizers and in the biomedical realm for cancer therapy intervention, as antioxidants, in gene delivery and as theranostics. Here, we review the role of fullerenes as neuroprotectants. Their sp² hybridized architectures and ability to intervene in the soluble-to-toxic transformation of amyloidogenic trajectories is highlighted here, along with other physico-chemical properties that impact interventional efficacy. Also highlighted are drawbacks that need to be overcome and future prospects.