Submit to Applied Sciences Review for Applied Sciences Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Applications of Nanoparticles in Pharmaceuticals

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanotechnology and Applied Nanosciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2021) | Viewed by 18912

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lionel Maurizi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB), UMR 6303 CNRS—Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, BP 47870, CEDEX, 21000 Dijon, France
Interests: nanoparticles; elaboration; surface characterizations; surface functionalization; scale-up; biological interactions of nanoparticles; protein corona
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For the last 20 years, there has been growing public interest in nanotechnology. The possibility of using singular physicochemical properties at nanoscale is becoming more and more promising.

Nanoparticles have become the most important components in nanotechnology. Their small size combined with the possibility to functionalize their surfaces has paved the way for the development of new pharmaceutical solutions to solve long-standing medical problems.

Nanoparticles can provide novel interactions and promising applications with living systems in order to be used, for example, as cellular imagers; as nanovectors for gene therapy or as nanodrugs. To develop, produce, and use as soon as possible nanoparticles in medicine material scientists should also meet pharmaceutical criteria such as biocompatible formulations, scale-up production, and good manufacturing practices.

This Special Issue will focus on novel applications and synthesis routes of nanoparticles for pharmaceutics. This issue will collect work on recent advances in nanomedical applications and on new synthesis routes to produce nanoparticles. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Dr. Lionel MAURIZI
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Nanoparticles
Formulation
Surface functionalization
Medical device
Diagnosis
Therapy
Biological interactions
Toxicity
Scale-up production
GMP synthesis
Safer by design approach

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

10 pages, 5757 KiB

Open AccessArticle

DNA Dosimetry with Gold Nanoparticle Irradiated by Proton Beams: A Monte Carlo Study on Dose Enhancement

by Ngoc Han Huynh and James C. L. Chow

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10856; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112210856 - 17 Nov 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1563

Abstract

Heavy atom nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles, are proven effective radiosensitizers in radiotherapy to enhance the dose delivery for cancer treatment. This study investigated the effectiveness of cancer cell killing, involving gold nanoparticle in proton radiation, by changing the nanoparticle size, proton beam energy, and distance between the nanoparticle and DNA. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation (Geant4-DNA code) was used to determine the dose enhancement in terms of dose enhancement ratio (DER), when a gold nanoparticle is present with the DNA. With varying nanoparticle size (radius = 15–50 nm), distance between the gold nanoparticle and DNA (30–130 nm), as well as proton beam energy (0.5–25 MeV) based on the simulation model, our results showed that the DER value increases with a decrease of distance between the gold nanoparticle and DNA and a decrease of proton beam energy. The maximum DER (1.83) is achieved with a 25 nm-radius gold nanoparticle, irradiated by a 0.5 MeV proton beam and 30 nm away from the DNA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Nanoparticles in Pharmaceuticals)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4209 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Palladium Nanoparticles Functionalized with PVP-Quercetin Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Activates Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer Cells

by Hilda Amelia Piñón-Castillo, Rigoberto Martínez-Chamarro, Reyna Reyes-Martínez, Yarely M. Salinas-Vera, Laura A. Manjarrez-Nevárez, Laila Nayzzel Muñoz-Castellanos, César López-Camarillo and Erasmo Orrantia-Borunda

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 1988; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11051988 - 24 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2882

Abstract

Nanotechnology is focused on the development and application of novel nanomaterials with particular physicochemical properties. Palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) have been used as antimicrobials, antifungals, and photochemicals and for catalytic activity in dye reduction. In the present investigation, we developed and characterized PdNPs as a carrier of quercetin and initiated a study of its effects in colorectal cancer cells. PdNPs were first functionalized with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and then coupled to quercetin (PdNPs-PVP-Q). Our results showed that quercetin was efficiently incorporated to PdNPs-PVP, as demonstrated using UV/Vis and FT-IR spectroscopy. Using transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrated a reduction in size from 3–14.47 nm of PdNPs alone to 1.8–7.4 nm of PdNPs-PVP and to 2.12–3.14 of PdNPs-PVP-Q, indicating an increase in superficial area in functionalized PdNPs-Q. Moreover, hydrodynamic size studies using dynamic light scattering showed a reduction in size from 2120.33 nm ± 112.53 with PdNPs alone to 129.96 nm ± 6.23 for PdNPs-PVP-Q, suggesting a major reactivity when quercetin is coupled to nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction assays show that the addition of PVP or quercetin to PdNPs does not influence the crystallinity state. Catalytic activity assays of PdNPs-PVP-Q evidenced the chemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol, methyl orange, and methyl blue, thus confirming an electron acceptor capacity of nanoparticles. Finally, biological activity studies using MTT assays showed a significant inhibition (p < 0.05) of cell proliferation of HCT-15 colorectal cancer cells exposed to PdNPs-PVP-Q in comparison to untreated cells. Moreover, treatment with PdNPs-PVP-Q resulted in the apoptosis activation of HCT-15 cells. In conclusion, here we show for the first time the development of PdNPs-PVP-Q and evidence its biological activities through the inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis activation in colorectal cancer cells in vitro. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Nanoparticles in Pharmaceuticals)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 3030 KiB

Open AccessReview

Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticle Synthesis: An Overview of Methods of Preparation and Biomedical Applications

by Govindasamy Rajakumar, Lebao Mao, Ting Bao, Wei Wen, Shengfu Wang, Thandapani Gomathi, Nirmala Gnanasundaram, Maksim Rebezov, Mohammad Ali Shariati, Ill-Min Chung, Muthu Thiruvengadam and Xiuhua Zhang

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 2172; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11052172 - 02 Mar 2021

Cited by 70 | Viewed by 8926

Abstract

Metal oxide nanoparticles demonstrate uniqueness in various technical applications due to their suitable physiochemical properties. In particular, yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) nanoparticle is familiar for technical applications because of its higher dielectric constant and thermal stability. It is widely used as a host material for a variety of rare-earth dopants, biological imaging, and photodynamic therapies. Y₂O₃ has also been used as a polarizer, phosphor, laser host material, and in the optoelectronic fields for cancer therapy, biosensor, and bioimaging. Yttrium oxide nanoparticles have attractive antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This review focuses on the promising applications of Y₂O₃, its drawbacks, and its modifications. The synthetic methods of nanoparticles, such as sol-gel, emulsion, chemical methods, solid-state reactions, combustion, colloid reaction techniques, and hydrothermal processing, are recapitulated. Herein, we also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Y₂O₃ NPs based biosensors that function through various detection modes including colorimetric, electrochemistry, and chemo luminescent regarding the detection of small organic chemicals, metal ions, and biomarkers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Nanoparticles in Pharmaceuticals)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 2935 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Nanoparticles and Nanocrystals by Supercritical CO₂-Assisted Techniques for Pharmaceutical Applications: A Review

by Paola Franco and Iolanda De Marco

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1476; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11041476 - 06 Feb 2021

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4374

Abstract

Many active ingredients currently prescribed show limited therapeutic efficacy, mainly due to their dissolution rate inadequate to treat the pathology of interest. A large drug particle size creates an additional problem if a specific site of action in the human body has to be reached. For this reason, active ingredient size reduction using micronization/nanonization techniques is a valid approach to improve the efficacy of active compounds. Supercritical carbon-dioxide-assisted technologies enable the production of different morphologies of different sizes, including nanoparticles and nanocrystals, by modulating operating conditions. Supercritical fluid-based processes have numerous advantages over techniques conventionally employed to produce nanosized particles or crystals, such as reduced use of toxic solvents, which are completely removed from the final product, ensuring safety for patients. Active compounds can be processed alone by supercritical techniques, although polymeric carriers are often added as stabilizers, to control the drug release on the basis of the desired therapeutic effect, as well as to improve drug processability with the chosen technology. This updated review on the application of supercritical micronization/nanonization techniques in the pharmaceutical field aims at highlighting the most effective current results, operating conditions, advantages, and limitations, providing future perspectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Nanoparticles in Pharmaceuticals)

► Show Figures