Chapter 8 - Biomedical Applications of Nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanotechnology has pervaded all aspects of our lives including biomedicine. Because of their small size, nanoparticles attain unique physicochemical and electrical properties that have been exploited in agriculture, manufacturing, packaging, cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries. This chapter focuses on the use of nanotechnology for biomedical applications. The first section provides a brief history of nanotechnology with a focus on medicine. Metallic, nonmetallic/inorganic, and biodegradable nanomaterials used for various biomedical applications are discussed. Nanotechnology has impacted all aspects of biomedicine that includes both in vivo (imaging) and in vitro modes of diagnostic procedures, nanoformulations and drug delivery systems for therapeutics, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Novel nanoprobes have significantly improved the sensitivity and specificity of bioimaging technologies including CT, MRI, and PET/SPECT. Smart nanoprobes have the potential for disease detection not only inside the body but also disease diagnosis using minimally invasive and noninvasive methods by detection of multiple analytes in complex biological fluids such as blood or blood components, urine, saliva, and breath. For targeted drug delivery, different types of nano-based drug delivery systems, including liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles, and carbon-based nanocarriers, are being used. Nanocarriers are functionalized with various surface ligands and used for both passive and active targeting of drugs. Noninvasive routes of drug administration, including oral, transfollicular, and pulmonary modes, have been developed. Nanotechnology has also significantly contributed to improvements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The factors influencing the biomedical applications of nanotechnology, including the materials used, properties, and toxicity, are briefly discussed. The chapter concludes with future prospects of nanotechnology in improving human health.