Carbon Nanotube for Drug Delivery and Controlled Release

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a novel class of materials with a diverse range of applications due to their unique physical properties. This article focuses on the utilization of CNTs as vectors for therapeutic purposes. The ability to encapsulate drugs, or covalently bind them, or form noncovalent complexes between drugs, targeting moieties and CNTs, provides multiple modalities for drug delivery. The physical, optical, and electronic properties of the CNTs further provide means for the precise control over their transport to specific target organs or tissues, and their controlled release according to the desired dosing regimen. This article briefly discusses the key properties of CNTs, and processing requirements pertinent to drug delivery. A comprehensive summary is given for their methods of characterization, both as raw materials and as complex drug delivery systems, which forms an important part of the pharmaceutical development process. Specific means by which drug has been incorporated into or complexed with CNTs is discussed, together with examples of the use of CNTs in targeted drug delivery and gene therapy. Finally, the important issue of CNT toxicity is discussed and a detailed review is provided for toxicology work undertaken that is relevant to the pharmaceutical applications of CNTs.