426
R. Mankamna Kumari et al.
3% SPL7013 gel in healthy women. Also, the antiviral activity was tested in the
presence of seminal plasma (Price et al. 2011).
4 Inorganic Nanoparticles in Therapeutics and Diagnostics
4.1 Gold Nanoparticles
The nobel metal NPs are the most notable types of nanoparticle among all. Among
the available nobel metal NPs, gold NPs (AuNPs) are an important component for
the biomedical applications. To enhance the biological activity and targetability of
NPs, AuNPs are readily conjugated with antibodies or oligonucleotides for the detection of target biomolecules. The transportation of therapeutic agents to the cells by
using AuNPs is a critical approach in biomedical treatment. Therapeutics can be
transported into the cells either by active or passive ways. The passive way of transportation relies on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect where the
gold NPs accumulate in the tumor due to the irregular vasculature (Huang et al.
2007). The active way involves specificity and selectivity for the target analyte by
explicitly designed surface functional ligands. Many therapeutic applications have
been developed including photothermal therapy, genetic regulation, and drug treatment by using AuNPs for effective targeting and delivery. AuNPs have been found
attractive for the formation of transfection agents in gene therapy for the cure of
cancer and genetic disorders, where the RNA-AuNPs conjugates used knockdown
expression gene in various gene therapies.
Gold NPs are also availed for the drug encapsulation through hydrophobic or
hydrophilic pockets generated by the monolayer of polymers such as polyethylene
glycol (PEG). Recently, Burda et al. used PEG-coated AuNPs for the encapsulation
of cancer treatment drug. The PEG coating provides the amphiphilic environment
for capturing hydrophobic silicon phthalocynanin (PC), photo dynamic therapy drug.
The results showed that the releasing of drug was through passive accumulation and
the PC 4-AuNPs conjugates delivered drugs quickly and penetrated deep inside the
tumors within hours. Also, AuNPs are used in clinical diagnosis of cancer, Alzheimer,
HIV, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis (Wilson 2008).
Besides, AuNPs are also used for metabolic disorders such as Diabetes mellitus (type-I). It is a metabolic disorder that features high blood sugar levels over a
prolonged time period. It is caused by the destruction of insulin secreting beta cells
of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans affecting over 0.3% of the world’s population
every year. Gold NPs are used as potent carriers for the transmucosal insulin delivery.
In normal human beings, pancreatic insulin is released as a process of burst in the
first phase, followed by the gradual increasing release of insulin for several hours.
In the postprandial hyperglycemia (PPHG), there is a loss of insulin secretion in
this first phase, which leads to reduced suppression of hepatic glucose production
causing higher glucose levels in the blood. So, one is required to provide this initial
R. Mankamna Kumari et al.
3% SPL7013 gel in healthy women. Also, the antiviral activity was tested in the
presence of seminal plasma (Price et al. 2011).
4 Inorganic Nanoparticles in Therapeutics and Diagnostics
4.1 Gold Nanoparticles
The nobel metal NPs are the most notable types of nanoparticle among all. Among
the available nobel metal NPs, gold NPs (AuNPs) are an important component for
the biomedical applications. To enhance the biological activity and targetability of
NPs, AuNPs are readily conjugated with antibodies or oligonucleotides for the detection of target biomolecules. The transportation of therapeutic agents to the cells by
using AuNPs is a critical approach in biomedical treatment. Therapeutics can be
transported into the cells either by active or passive ways. The passive way of transportation relies on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect where the
gold NPs accumulate in the tumor due to the irregular vasculature (Huang et al.
2007). The active way involves specificity and selectivity for the target analyte by
explicitly designed surface functional ligands. Many therapeutic applications have
been developed including photothermal therapy, genetic regulation, and drug treatment by using AuNPs for effective targeting and delivery. AuNPs have been found
attractive for the formation of transfection agents in gene therapy for the cure of
cancer and genetic disorders, where the RNA-AuNPs conjugates used knockdown
expression gene in various gene therapies.
Gold NPs are also availed for the drug encapsulation through hydrophobic or
hydrophilic pockets generated by the monolayer of polymers such as polyethylene
glycol (PEG). Recently, Burda et al. used PEG-coated AuNPs for the encapsulation
of cancer treatment drug. The PEG coating provides the amphiphilic environment
for capturing hydrophobic silicon phthalocynanin (PC), photo dynamic therapy drug.
The results showed that the releasing of drug was through passive accumulation and
the PC 4-AuNPs conjugates delivered drugs quickly and penetrated deep inside the
tumors within hours. Also, AuNPs are used in clinical diagnosis of cancer, Alzheimer,
HIV, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis (Wilson 2008).
Besides, AuNPs are also used for metabolic disorders such as Diabetes mellitus (type-I). It is a metabolic disorder that features high blood sugar levels over a
prolonged time period. It is caused by the destruction of insulin secreting beta cells
of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans affecting over 0.3% of the world’s population
every year. Gold NPs are used as potent carriers for the transmucosal insulin delivery.
In normal human beings, pancreatic insulin is released as a process of burst in the
first phase, followed by the gradual increasing release of insulin for several hours.
In the postprandial hyperglycemia (PPHG), there is a loss of insulin secretion in
this first phase, which leads to reduced suppression of hepatic glucose production
causing higher glucose levels in the blood. So, one is required to provide this initial