Basavaraj K H
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, JSS Medical College, JSS University, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
Indian J Dermatol. 2012 May;57(3):169-74. doi: 10.4103/0019-5154.96186.
Nanotechnology and nanomedicine are complementary disciplines aimed at the betterment of human life. Nanotechnology is an emerging branch of science for designing tools and devices of size 1-100 nm, with unique functions at the cellular, atomic and molecular levels. The concept of using nanotechnology in medical research and clinical practice is known as nanomedicine. Today, nanotechnology and nanoscience approaches to particle design and formulations are beginning to expand the market for many drugs and forming the basis for a highly profitable niche within the industry, but some predicted benefits are hyped. Under many conditions, dermal penetration of nanoparticles may be limited for consumer products such as sunscreens, although additional studies are needed on potential photooxidation products, experimental methods and the effect of skin condition on penetration. Today, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (20-30 nm) are widely used in several topical skin care products such as sunscreens. Thus, in the present scenario, nanotechnology is spreading its wings to address the key problems in the field of medicine. The benefits of nanoparticles have been shown in several scientific fields, but very little is known about their potential to penetrate the skin. Hence, this review discusses in detail the applications of nanotechnology in medicine with more emphasis on the dermatologic aspects.
纳米技术和纳米医学是旨在改善人类生活的互补学科。纳米技术是一门新兴的科学分支，用于设计尺寸在1至100纳米的工具和装置，这些工具和装置在细胞、原子和分子水平上具有独特功能。在医学研究和临床实践中使用纳米技术的概念被称为纳米医学。如今，纳米技术和纳米科学在颗粒设计和制剂方面的方法开始扩大许多药物的市场，并为该行业内一个高利润的细分市场奠定基础，但一些预期的好处被夸大了。在许多情况下，对于防晒霜等消费品，纳米颗粒的皮肤渗透可能有限，不过仍需要对潜在的光氧化产物、实验方法以及皮肤状况对渗透的影响进行更多研究。如今，氧化锌和二氧化钛纳米颗粒（20 - 30纳米）被广泛应用于多种局部皮肤护理产品，如防晒霜。因此，在当前情况下，纳米技术正在拓展其应用范围以解决医学领域的关键问题。纳米颗粒的益处已在多个科学领域得到证明，但对于它们渗透皮肤的潜力却知之甚少。因此，本综述详细讨论了纳米技术在医学中的应用，尤其侧重于皮肤科方面。
