Worldwide, attention is growing to the prospects for the development of nanotechnology. The totality of scientific data on nanomaterials indicates that they belong to a new class of products, and the characterization of their potential danger to human health and the state of the environment is mandatory in all cases. In this regard, the study of the safety of nanomaterials, the creation of a methodology for assessing their biocompatibility, biodegradability, toxicity, and the development of regulatory documents are urgent problems for the world community.
Keywords: information technologies in medicine, clinic, health, patient, service.
Nanomedicine is the medical application of nanotechnology. Extends from medical applications of nanomaterials to nanoelectronic biosensors and even possible future applications of molecular nanotechnology.
Nanomedical research is funded by the US National Institutes of Health. It is known that in 2005, money was allocated for a five-year plan to establish four nanomedical centers. In April 2006, according to the journal Nature Materials, about 130 drugs and drug delivery vehicles based on nanotechnology had been created.
The formation of nanomedicine . A new interdisciplinary field of medical science is currently in its infancy. Her methods are just coming out of the labs, and most of them still exist only in the form of projects. However, most experts believe that these methods will become fundamental in the 21st century. For example, the US National Institutes of Health has included nanomedicine in the top five priority areas of medical development in the 21st century, and the US National Cancer Institute is going to apply the achievements of nanomedicine in the treatment of cancer. A number of foreign scientific centers have already demonstrated prototypes in the fields of diagnosis, treatment, prosthetics and implantation.
M ain part
Nanomedicine aims to provide a significant set of research tools and clinically useful devices in the near future. The National Nanotechnology Initiative anticipates new commercial applications in the pharmaceutical industry, which may include advanced drug delivery systems, new forms of therapy and in vivo imaging. Neuroelectronic interfaces and other nanoelectronic sensors are another active research target.
Eric Drexler, a classic in the field of nanotechnology developments and predictions, described in his fundamental works the main methods of treatment and diagnosis based on nanotechnology. The key problem in achieving these results is the creation of special medical nanorobots — nanomachines for cell repair. Medical nanorobots should be able to diagnose diseases by circulating in human circulatory and lymphatic systems and moving in internal organs, deliver medicines to the affected area and even perform surgical operations. Drexler also suggested that medical nanorobots would provide an opportunity to revive people frozen by cryonics methods. According to various estimates, the achievements of nanomedicine will become widely available only in 40–50 years. However, a number of recent discoveries, developments and investments in the nanoscale industry have led to more and more analysts shifting this date by 10–15 years downwards.
Medical use of nanomaterials . Two forms of nanomedicine have already been tested in mice and are awaiting trials in humans. These are the use of gold nanocapsules that help diagnose and treat cancer, and the use of liposomes as an aid to vaccines as a transport for drugs. Similarly, getting rid of drug toxicity is another application of nanomedicine that has shown promising results in rats. The benefit of using nanoscale in medical technology is that smaller devices are less invasive and can be implanted inside the body, in addition, biochemical reactions take much less time. These devices are faster and more sensitive than typical drug delivery vehicles. Advances in lipid nanotechnology are also being used in the engineering of medical nanodevices and new drug delivery systems, and in the development of medical sensors.
Drug delivery . Nanotechnology has made it possible to deliver drugs to certain cells using nanoparticles. The total amount of drug consumption and side effects can be significantly reduced by placing the active agent only in the affected region, and at a dose no higher than required. This selective method can reduce the cost of treatment and human suffering. Examples include dendrimers and nanoporous materials. Another example is the use of co-polymers that form micelles to encapsulate drugs. They can store small drug molecules and transport them to the desired location. Another vision of the problem is based on small electromechanical systems; nanoelectromechanical systems are being investigated for active drug release. Potentially important applications include cancer treatment with iron nanoparticles or gold capsules. Targeted or personalized medicine is designed to reduce the consumption of drugs and the cost of treatment, which as a result provides public benefits by reducing healthcare costs.
Nanomedical approaches to drug delivery are based on the development of nanoparticles or molecules that improve the bioavailability of drugs. Bioavailability means having drug molecules where they are needed inside the body and where they work best. Drug delivery focuses on maximizing bioavailability in specific locations of the body, as well as over a period of time. This could potentially be achieved by molecular targeting with nanoengineered devices. This all involves targeting molecules and delivering drugs with precision to the cell. In vivo imaging is another area for which tools and devices are being developed. Using nanoparticles as contrast agents, images obtained, for example, by ultrasound and MRI, have the desired distribution and improved contrast. New methods related to the nanoengineered materials being developed may be effective in the treatment of diseases such as cancer. What nanoscientists can achieve in the future is still beyond imagination. Self-assembling biocompatible nanodevices may appear that will detect, evaluate, treat and report the result to the doctor automatically.
Drug delivery systems, lipid or polymer nanoparticles can be developed to improve the pharmacological and therapeutic properties of drugs. The strength of drug delivery systems lies in their ability to change the pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution of the drug. However, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nanomedicine vary greatly from patient to patient. Designed to bypass the body's defense mechanisms, nanoparticles have good properties that can improve drug delivery. Where large particles can be removed from the body, cells accept nanoparticles because of their size. Complex drug delivery mechanisms are being developed, including the ability to deliver drugs through the cell membrane into the cytoplasm. Effectiveness is important because many diseases depend on processes in the cell and can only be stopped by drugs that penetrate the cell. A stimulated response is one of the possibilities to use drug molecules more effectively. Drugs are placed in the body and activated only by a specific signal. For example, a drug with poor solubility will be replaced by a drug delivery system that contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic components, which improves solubility. The drug can also cause tissue damage, but with the help of a delivery system, the regulated release of the drug can solve the problem. If the drug is removed from the body too quickly, this may require the patient to take large doses, but with a drug delivery system, removal can be reduced by changing the pharmacokinetics of the drug. Poor bio—distribution is a problem that can affect normal tissues due to drug distribution throughout the body, but aerosols of drug delivery systems can reduce distribution and reduce exposure to non-target tissues. Potential nanocarriages will work by very specific and well-understood mechanisms; one of the main directions of nanotechnology and nanoscience will be the development of completely new drugs with more beneficial behavior and fewer side effects.
Results
Nanoparticles are promising tools for advanced drug delivery, medical imaging, and for use as diagnostic sensors. However, the bio-distribution of these nanoparticles is still imperfect due to the complex reactions of the body to nano- and micro-sized materials and the difficulty of targeting specific organs of the body. However, a lot of work still needs to be done to optimize and better understand the potential and limitations of nanoparticle systems. For example, the current study of mouse excretory systems has shown the ability of gold composites to selectively affect certain organs depending on their size and charge. These composites are encapsulated in a dendrimer and adjusted to a specific charge and size. Positively charged gold nanoparticles entered the kidneys, and negatively charged ones entered the liver and spleen. It is claimed that the positive charge of nanoparticles reduces the frequency of opsonization of nanoparticles in the liver, which affects the excretory pathway. Even particles of a relative size of the order of 5 nm, although, these particles can settle in peripheral tissues, and therefore will accumulate in the body over time. When further research proves that targeting and distribution can be improved by nanoparticles, the dangers of nanotoxicity will be an important step towards further understanding their medical uses.
25 ways to use nanotechnology in medicine
Nanobots are the generation of nanomachines of the future. They will be able to sense the environment and adapt to its changes, perform complex calculations, communicate, move, carry out molecular assembly, repair, or even reproduce. These devices have great potential for medical applications.
Nanocomputers. With their help, nanobots are controlled. Efforts to create nanocomputers, as well as the movement towards quantum computing, open up new opportunities for medicine.
Cell regeneration. Damage to the body's cells is often very difficult to repair due to the incredibly small size of the cells. However, with the help of nanotechnology, it is possible to get around this. Nanobots or other devices can be used to manipulate molecules and atoms at the individual level necessary for cell regeneration.
Aging. Nanodevices can be used to remove some signs of aging. For example, laser technology can already reduce the appearance of age lines, spots and wrinkles. In the future, with the help of powerful nanotechnology, it is planned to completely eliminate these signs.
Cancer treatment. To date, the first successful steps have already been taken in the work on the use of nanotechnology in the treatment of cancer. This process is carried out due to the fact that small specialized functions of some nanodevices can be more accurately directed at cancer cells. At the same time, cancer cells are destroyed and healthy cells surrounding them are not damaged.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system. There is a possibility that nanorobots can perform a number of functions related to the heart. Regeneration of damaged heart tissues is only one possibility. Another use case for nanotechnology is to use nanodevices to cleanse arteries of atherosclerotic plaques and eliminate other problems.
Implantation of devices. Instead of implanting devices that are currently used in medicine, nanobots could be sent to create the necessary structures inside the body.
Virtual reality. Thanks to the use of nanobot injections, it is easier for doctors to study the human body. Creating virtual reality can help medical professionals make some operations more «realistic».
Drug delivery. Systems for automating drug delivery help to increase consistency between body systems. At the same time, the system that needs them is provided with medicines. Delivery systems can be programmed using nanotechnology to ensure the release of certain drugs at the right time and without human error.
Gene therapy. Nanotechnology allows nanorobots to enter the body and make changes to the genome. Thanks to this, it is possible to correct the genome and, as a result, cure various genetic diseases.
Nanopincers. These devices are designed to operate nanostructures. They can be used to move nanodevices in the body or to place them before installation. Nanopincers are typically constructed using nanotubes.
Stem cells. Nanotechnology can actually help adult stem cells transform into any desired cell type. Studies in mice show that nanotubes allow adult stem cells to turn into functioning neurons.
Bone regeneration. Using nanotechnology, bone regeneration can be accelerated. The nanoparticles have a different chemical composition, which can help connect bones together and can even help in some cases of spinal cord injury.
Visualization. Nanotechnology is very promising for use in the field of medical imaging, allowing you to quickly obtain an accurate specific image. Nanodevices are used in molecular imaging and lead to improved diagnosis of various diseases and conditions.
Diabetes mellitus. Instead of taking blood to study blood sugar levels, nanotechnology provides an opportunity for diabetics to use lenses for this purpose. The color change can be used to judge the blood sugar level.
Surgery. There are already robot surgeons in the modern world, but nanosurgery is a promising industry in which some lasers can be used, as well as nanodevices that can be programmed to perform certain surgical operations.
Epilepsy. Nanochips are being developed that can help manage seizures. These chips are designed to analyze brain signals, then analyze them and perform the necessary brain adjustments in such a way that it becomes possible to better control epilepsy attacks.
Sensory feedback. Nanochips can be useful for people who have lost the ability to feel their body. To do this, nanochips intercept electrical impulses and interpret them.
Prosthetic management. Prosthetics continues to move forward. Nanotechnology makes it possible to use the brain to control prostheses. There are already some examples of using nanochips for this purpose.
Medical control. With the help of nanotechnology, it is possible to control the state of various body systems. Nanochips implanted in the body monitor the state of health and send the information received to a computer or other device.
Medical reports. In addition to monitoring the body's own systems, nanotechnology can be used to send information to healthcare providers, thereby increasing the effectiveness of electronic medical records.
Prevention of diseases. The presence of a nanodevice in the body can really help prevent various diseases. With proper programming, it is possible to avoid some diseases and correct the problems that have arisen before they become serious problems. Nanodevices can even help prevent chronic diseases.
Prenatal diagnosis. There are several ways to use nanotechnology in prenatal diagnosis. Nanodevices are able to penetrate into the uterus and even into the fetus without causing damage. In addition, they can potentially help eliminate many problems in the womb.
Individual medicine. Being able to precisely adjust to the gene of each individual, nanotechnology will make it possible to more accurately determine the appropriate treatment and adjust the treatment plan according to the individual needs of the body.
Researches. Nanotechnology allows medical research to move rapidly forward, providing the necessary tools for this, with which a person learns new things about the structure and functioning of the human body, and thanks to research in the field of physics and chemistry, nanotechnology provides the body with building materials.
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