Carbon Nanotubes as Emerging Nanocarriers in Drug Delivery: An Overview

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been frequently acquired as one of the fascinating and advanced nanocarriers for drug delivery and many potential applications due to its unique physicochemical properties. During recent years CNTs have been attracted by many researchers as a drug delivery carrier. CNTs are the third allotropic form of carbon-fullerenes rolled into cylindrical tubes. To be integrated into the biological systems, CNTs can be chemically modified or functionalized with therapeutically active molecules by forming stable covalent bonds or supramolecular assemblies based on noncovalent interactions. Owing to their high carrying capacity, biocompatibility, and specificity to cells, various cancer cells have been explored with CNTs for evaluation of pharmacokinetic parameters, cell viability, cytotoxicity, and drug delivery in tumor cells.