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Jyotsna et al.
organic compounds and other molecules. Although these nanohorns functions similarly to nanotubes, it is mandatory to functionalize these nanohorns to make them
biocompatible.
Nanohorns have been loaded with various drugs to check its efficiency for drug
delivery. Nanohorns functionalized with polyethyleneglycol chains, and doxorubicin
was tested in vitro in lung cancer cells showed apoptosis of cells lower than the normal
control drug. It could be possible that PEG-doxorubicin retained on the surface of the
nanohorns thereby reducing its therapeutic effect. In another approach, cisplatin was
trapped in the inner space of the nanohorns and used as an anticancer drug delivery
vehicle for lung cancer cells. Following the administration of the drug and monitoring
it for 48 h, it was observed that the conjugate showed comparable anti-cancer activity
to the control drugs alone without any cytotoxicity [75]. Although this nanohorns
did not show cytotoxicity, they formed aggregates which are a major concern for
its in vivo application. Recently in a study, the cisplatin was encapsulated in the
nanohorns followed by the PEG chain terminated with a peptide aptamer coating
on their surface. This complex was able to induce cytotoxicity to the cancer cells.
However, it might be possible that different molecules might induce other cellular
problems which could not be neglected. Although these studies make nanohorns a
vehicle for drug delivery, more clarity is needed to make a biocompatible nanohorns
for paving their way towards biomedical applications [76].
7 Conclusions
Nanotechnology has undergone exponential growth in the field of nanomedicine from
traditional strategies to modern applications. Carbon nanomaterials have shown great
potential in biomaterials research and applications. The different forms of carbonbased nanomaterials such as nanotubes, fullerenes, nanohorns, and nanodiamonds,
have proven to be successful candidates for carrying biological molecules due to
their easy penetration into the cells. These nanomaterials can easily be functionalized
under various physiological conditions to make them biocompatible to be administered in vitro or in vivo for targeted delivery. Although these materials have shown
vital potential in therapeutics and biomedicines, a few safety concerns regarding the
toxicity of these materials were demonstrated in the scientific literature. Hence, to
eradicate the mild toxicity, many super-specific and excellent carbon-based materials
are being studied for their immense potential in biomedicines.
Acknowledgements Dr. T. Senthilvelan would like to thank DST for providing a research fellowship through SERB National Post-Doctoral Fellowship (NPDF) (file no: PDF/2017/002894) for
writing this book chapter.
Jyotsna et al.
organic compounds and other molecules. Although these nanohorns functions similarly to nanotubes, it is mandatory to functionalize these nanohorns to make them
biocompatible.
Nanohorns have been loaded with various drugs to check its efficiency for drug
delivery. Nanohorns functionalized with polyethyleneglycol chains, and doxorubicin
was tested in vitro in lung cancer cells showed apoptosis of cells lower than the normal
control drug. It could be possible that PEG-doxorubicin retained on the surface of the
nanohorns thereby reducing its therapeutic effect. In another approach, cisplatin was
trapped in the inner space of the nanohorns and used as an anticancer drug delivery
vehicle for lung cancer cells. Following the administration of the drug and monitoring
it for 48 h, it was observed that the conjugate showed comparable anti-cancer activity
to the control drugs alone without any cytotoxicity [75]. Although this nanohorns
did not show cytotoxicity, they formed aggregates which are a major concern for
its in vivo application. Recently in a study, the cisplatin was encapsulated in the
nanohorns followed by the PEG chain terminated with a peptide aptamer coating
on their surface. This complex was able to induce cytotoxicity to the cancer cells.
However, it might be possible that different molecules might induce other cellular
problems which could not be neglected. Although these studies make nanohorns a
vehicle for drug delivery, more clarity is needed to make a biocompatible nanohorns
for paving their way towards biomedical applications [76].
7 Conclusions
Nanotechnology has undergone exponential growth in the field of nanomedicine from
traditional strategies to modern applications. Carbon nanomaterials have shown great
potential in biomaterials research and applications. The different forms of carbonbased nanomaterials such as nanotubes, fullerenes, nanohorns, and nanodiamonds,
have proven to be successful candidates for carrying biological molecules due to
their easy penetration into the cells. These nanomaterials can easily be functionalized
under various physiological conditions to make them biocompatible to be administered in vitro or in vivo for targeted delivery. Although these materials have shown
vital potential in therapeutics and biomedicines, a few safety concerns regarding the
toxicity of these materials were demonstrated in the scientific literature. Hence, to
eradicate the mild toxicity, many super-specific and excellent carbon-based materials
are being studied for their immense potential in biomedicines.
Acknowledgements Dr. T. Senthilvelan would like to thank DST for providing a research fellowship through SERB National Post-Doctoral Fellowship (NPDF) (file no: PDF/2017/002894) for
writing this book chapter.