Metal Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2025) | Viewed by 1889

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Interests: metal nanoparticles; cell biology; scaffolds and nanotechnology applied to cancer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as a versatile and powerful tool in the field of biomedicine, offering innovative solutions for diagnosis, therapy, and drug delivery. Their unique physicochemical properties, including size, shape, surface charge, and functionalization potential, enable MNPs to interact with biological systems in ways that can be finely tuned for specific applications. From targeted drug delivery systems to diagnostic imaging and therapeutic agents, MNPs are at the forefront of cutting-edge biomedical research.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest advancements and applications of metal nanoparticles in the biomedical field. We welcome submissions that explore the synthesis, characterization, and functionalization of MNPs, as well as their applications in such areas as cancer therapy, drug delivery, antimicrobial treatments, inflammatory disease, dental applications, neuroscience, and regenerative medicine. The goal is to showcase the state-of-the-art research and to foster a deeper understanding of how MNPs can be harnessed for innovative biomedical solutions.

We invite original research articles and reviews that contribute to the growing body of knowledge on metal nanoparticles for biomedical applications. Submissions focusing on interdisciplinary approaches that bridge materials science, nanotechnology, and medicine are particularly encouraged.

Dr. Thalita Marcolan Valverde
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • metal nanoparticles (MNPs)
  • synthesis
  • characterization
  • interdisciplinary
  • biomedicine

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7624 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the In Vitro Biological Activities of Schiff Base-Synthesized Copper Oxide Nanoparticles as an Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Alzheimer, and Anti-Cancer Agent
by Abdulrahman A. Almehizia, Ahmed M. Naglah, Sadeem S. Aljafen, Ashraf S. Hassan and Wael M. Aboulthana
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(2), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17020180 - 1 Feb 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 927
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Numerous diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer have spread in the whole world, especially in the Arab world. Also, various applications of Schiff-base functionalized nanoparticles and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) such as therapeutic applications have been discovered. Thus, the current [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Numerous diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer have spread in the whole world, especially in the Arab world. Also, various applications of Schiff-base functionalized nanoparticles and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) such as therapeutic applications have been discovered. Thus, the current research highlights (i) the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) produced with a Schiff base (SB) serving as a capping agent during their synthesis and (ii) assessment of the in vitro biological activities of Schiff base-synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (SB-CuO-NPs) and a Schiff base (SB). Methods: SB-CuO-NPs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, zeta potential, DLS analysis, and transmission electron microscope (TEM). It also focuses on assessing the in vitro biological applications and activities, including antioxidant, scavenging, anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic activities, and enzymes inhibitory potential, of Schiff base-synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (SB-CuO-NPs) and a Schiff base (SB) using methods described in the literature. Results: The results of the biological activities of the SB-CuO-NPs were compared with those of the SB. The SB-CuO-NPs demonstrated superior in vitro biological activities when compared to the SB from which they were produced. Conclusions: The results of this investigation concluded that the CuO-NPs, synthesized with the SB serving as an alternative capping agent, exhibited enhanced biological efficacy relative to the original SB. In the future, the biological efficiency of SB-CuO-NPs against diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cancer diseases will be assessed in experimental animals (in vivo). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
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Review

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26 pages, 1094 KiB  
Review
Applications and Efficacy of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in the Treatment of Brain Tumors
by London Varalli, Reed Berlet, EC Abenojar, John McDaid, David A. Gascoigne, Julian Bailes and Daniil P. Aksenov
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(4), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17040499 - 9 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Cancers of the central nervous system are particularly difficult to treat due to a variety of factors. Surgical approaches are impeded by the skull—an issue which is compounded by the severity of possible harm that can result from damage to the parenchymal tissue. [...] Read more.
Cancers of the central nervous system are particularly difficult to treat due to a variety of factors. Surgical approaches are impeded by the skull—an issue which is compounded by the severity of possible harm that can result from damage to the parenchymal tissue. As a result, chemotherapeutic agents have been the standard of care for brain tumors. While some drugs can be effective on a case-by-case basis, there remains a critical need to improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents for neurological cancers. Recently, advances in iron oxide nanoparticle research have highlighted how their unique properties could be leveraged to address the shortcomings of conventional therapeutics. Iron oxide nanoparticles combine the advantages of good biocompatibility, magnetic susceptibility, and functionalization via a range of coating techniques. Thus, iron oxide nanoparticles could be used in both the imaging of brain cancers with magnetic resonance imaging, as well as acting as trafficking vehicles across the blood–brain barrier for targeted drug delivery. Moreover, their ability to support minimally invasive therapies such as magnetic hyperthermia makes them particularly appealing for neuro-oncological applications, where precision and safety are paramount. In this review, we will outline the application of iron oxide nanoparticles in various clinical settings including imaging and drug delivery paradigms. Importantly, this review presents a novel approach of combining surface engineering and internal magnetic targeting for deep-seated brain tumors, proposing the surgical implantation of internal magnets as a next-generation strategy to overcome the limitations of external magnetic fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
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