Therapeutic Nanoparticles and Associated Toxicity

Avnesh      Kumari; Vineet      Kumar; Sudesh      Kumar Yadav

doi:10.2174/157341311795542381

Abstract

Nanoparticles (NPs) are currently widely used for different applications like cosmetics, personal care products and drug delivery agents. The enormous use and production of NPs resulted in release of NPs into the environment. These NPs find their way into aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric environments. These NPs interact with their immediate environments and cause adverse affects on them. The rapidly growing field of nanotechnology will result in new routes of exposure through inhalation, ingestion, and injection. They can have damaging effects on cellular organells like mitochondria and macromoleculs like DNA. In view of this, there is a need to better understand the interactions between the NPs, environment and the organisms. In this article, we have reviewed the well known cytotoxicity assays and toxicity associated with therapeutic NPs.

Keywords: Cytotoxicity, NPs, Reactive oxygen species, Oxidative stress, Nanotechnology, Nanotoxicity, Metal NPs, Metal Oxide NPs, Quantum Dots, Silica Nanomaterials