Carbon Nanotubes: An Emerging Drug Delivery Carrier in Cancer Therapeutics

Abstract

Background: The scope of nanotechnology has been extended to almost every sphere of our daily life. As a result of this, nanocarriers like Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are gaining considerable attention for their use in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Objective: The objective of the current article is to review various important features of CNTs that make them as efficient carriers for anticancer drug delivery in cancer therapeutics. Methods: In this review article, different works of literature are reported on various prospective applications of CNTs in the targeting of multiple kinds of cancerous cells of different organs via the loading of various anticancer agents. Results: Actually, CNTs are the 3rd allotropic type of the carbon-fullerenes that are a part of the cylindrical tubular architecture. CNTs possess some excellent physicochemical characteristics and unique structural features that provide an effective platform to deliver anticancer drugs to target specific sites for achieving a high level of therapeutic effectiveness even in cancer therapeutics. For better results, CNTs are functionalized and modified with different classes of therapeutically bioactive molecules via the formation of stable covalent bonding or by the use of supramolecular assemblies based on the noncovalent interaction(s). In recent years, the applications of CNTs for the delivery of various kinds of anticancer drugs and targeting of tumor sites have been reported by various research groups. Conclusion: CNTs represent an emerging nanocarrier material for the delivery and targeting of numerous anticancer drugs in cancer therapeutics.