Other Therapeutic Applications

Abstract

This chapter covers other therapeutic applications of metal-containing dendrimers, namely anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antiparasitic applications or as drug delivery scaffolds. Many examples of organic dendrimers have been explored for their anti-inflammatory activities, while only a few examples of metal-containing dendrimers have been investigated. With regard to antiviral applications, the focus of existing studies was mainly on HIV, as opposed to other viruses. There were only a few articles that demonstrated the potential of metal-containing dendrimers as antiparasitic agents, and most of them focused on their antiplasmodial effects for treatment of malaria. Finally, transition metal-containing carbosilane, poly(propylene imine) and poly(amidoamine) dendrimers have also proven to be effective as drug delivery systems due to their solubility and membrane permeability.