Nanoparticles in medicine

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a new, interdisciplinary field of science, the products of which are nanoparticles, i.e. structures that, thanks to their unique physical and chemical properties conditioned by their nanometric dimensions, have found wide application in medicine, pharmacy and biotechnology. Currently, they play a particularly important role as drug carriers, antibacterial and antiviral substances. They are also used in diagnostics, genetic tests, and increasing the accuracy of biological tests. The enormous possibilities of nanoparticles concern their potential use as drug delivery systems, factors improving the quality of anticancer radiotherapy and supporting molecular imaging, as well as compounds with highly bactericidal, fungicidal and antiviral properties. Therefore, it is crucial to implement therapies based on nanoparticles into clinical trials, as they can be an excellent diagnostic and therapeutic tool for many diseases, including cancer. However, it is necessary to overcome certain barriers due to the nature of some nanoparticles, such as problems with biodegradability and porosity. Despite the benefits of using nanostructures, the possibility of side effects caused by the action of metal nanoparticles absorbed by organisms has not been ruled out.