Carbon nanotubes wear coats to deliver drugs

摘要

Polymer coated carbon nanotubes could find a new use in drug delivery, claim Korean scientists. Sangyong Jon, at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, and co-workers designed an amphiphilic polymer coating - that contains both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts - for carbon nanotubes (CNTs). They found that in vitro the coating made the CNTs dissolve better in water and plasma, and allowed them to conjugate to biomolecules. Both are vital properties for drug delivery applications.rnIt is known that CNTs assist in killing cancer cells when irradiated because of their near IR absorption property, explains Jon. CNTs have also been shown in vitro to be able to deliver anticancer drugs to specific cells. However several complications arise when this concept is moved into the body, he continues.