Carbon Nanotubes: New Chemotherapeutic Drug Delivery Systems for Targeted Cancer Treatments

Abstract

The complexity of the management of cancerous conditions requires innovative strategies, including the pharmacotechnical optimization of treatments. The improvement of galenic forms, or more generally of drug delivery, represents a rapidly developing area of research, particularly in oncology, in order to remedy side effects and drug resistance remains a worrying problem. Carbon nanotubes CNTs consist of thin sheets of benzene carbons coiled into a seamless tubular structure. These CNTs have remarkable size and surface properties that make them the ideal vehicle for targeted and selective drug delivery. Different <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> experiments have proven that these particles can be easily modified in such a way that the chemical drug can be delivered directly to the tumor site. Additionally, different types of ligands can be loaded on the surface of CNTs to improve selectivity or modulate drug release. On the other hand, advances in carbon nanotubes could well lead to a more effective understanding of biological and physicochemical processes. This will make it possible to find compounds more compatible with carbon nanotube technology and facilitate their use.