Nanotechnology: A Potentially Powerful Tool for Attenuating Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity: A Narrative Review

Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin, CDDP) is one of the main anticancer drugs, used for the treatment of various malignancies. However, clinical application of this drug is associated with various side effects, prominently nephrotoxicity. One of the promising tools to decrease the side effects of the drug and simultaneously improve its therapeutic effects is the loading the drug into nanoparticles (NPs). This literature review focuses on the efficacy of various types of NPs, such as liposome, micelle, dendrimer, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid), chitosan, alginate, curcumin (CUR), and metallic NPs to improve the therapeutic effects of CDDP and to decrease the nephrotoxicity. The results of these studies demonstrated that the reviewed NPs are able to decrease the nephrotoxic effects of CDDP in one of four different ways, including as a conjugating agent, encapsulating agent, antioxidant agent, or nanocarrier. Finally, among these reviewed NPs, liposomal NPs and the co-treatment with CUR as an antioxidant agent have more promising effects in reducing the toxicity of CDDP. Overall, the wide use of nanoliposomes in drug delivery systems due to their high stability, biocompatibility, drug loading capacity, and high bioavailability prompts the authors to propose liposomal CDDP delivery as a potent candidate for future studies. Moreover, because of the synergistic effects of CUR and CDDP on cancerous cells, the antioxidative properties of CUR in mitigating CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity, and the radiosensitizing influence of CUR, there is potential for the co-delivery of CDDP and CUR via liposomes to the tumor region.