Nanopharmacology and Nanotoxicology – emerging new disciplines in drug discovery, development and research

ABSTRACT:

Nanotechnology is concerned with materials and systems whose structure and components exhibit novel and significantly improved physical, chemical, and biological properties, phenomena and processes because of their nanoscale size. Nanomaterials differ significantly from other materials due to two principal factors; the increased surface area and quantum effects. These factors can enhance properties such as reactivity, strength, electrical characteristics and in vivo behavior. Nanopharmacology is defined as application of Nanotechnology for the development and/or discovery of methods to deliver drugs and nanomedicines developed to operate on a nanometer size range (typically less than 500 nanometers) with novel engineered properties that provide medical and pharmaceutical benefits, specifically for the treatment of diseases.

Majority of current commercial applications of nanotechnology in medicine are geared towards drug delivery to enable new modes of action as well as better targeting and bioavailability of existing medicinal substances. Nanotechnologies provide a wide range of new opportunities for developments in pharmacology like targeted drug delivery, applications of nano-containers in drug delivery, targeted influence on the immunity and new vaccine types and new hybrid nano-compounds for cancer treatment. Novel applications of nanopharmacology also include nanostructures that allow transport across biological barriers, use of nanoprobes, nanosensors, nanobiochips for study of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics at nanoscale level and use of multifunctional chemical structures for drug delivery and targeting of disease.

Increased usage of nanotechnology in healthcare system without adequate attention to safety and exposure risks has lead to evolution of another new frontier viz., Nanotoxicology that deals with the study of effects of nanomaterials on humans and environment. Nanotoxicology can be defined as a branch of toxicology that analyzes the risks and consequences of exposure to nanoscale materials on the environment and human health. It encompasses study of three main components such as nanopharmacology, nanopathology and nanophysiology. Although a number of techniques are under development to assist nanotoxicology like nanoinformatics that can contribute in risk assessment and development of safe nanopharmaceuticals.

 

With the advent of new technologies and innovative applications of nanosciences, nanopharmacology and nanotoxicology are increasingly assuming greater importance in the wake of unprecedented pharmacological and toxicological effects of nanomaterials on human beings. Therefore these two subjects are emerging as novel disciplines and are receiving an ever-increasing attention of academics and researchers. These two disciplines will progress with advancing nanomedicine related technologies and are likely to occupy the centrestage in times to come.