Department of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland.
School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, India.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Dec;132:110834. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110834. Epub 2020 Oct 6.
Natural carbon based quantum dots (NCDs) are an emerging class of nanomaterials in the carbon family. NCDs have gained immense acclamation among researchers because of their abundance, eco-friendly nature, aqueous solubility, the diverse functionality and biocompatibility when compared to other conventional carbon quantum dots (CDs).The presence of different functional groups on the surface of NCDs such as thiol, carboxyl, hydroxyl, etc., provides improved quantum yield, physicochemical and optical properties which promote bioimaging, sensing, and drug delivery. This review provides comprehensive knowledge about NCDs for drug delivery applications by outlining the source and rationale behind NCDs, different routes of synthesis of NCDs and the merits of adopting each method. Detailed information regarding the mechanism behind the optical properties, toxicological profile including biosafety and biodistribution of NCDs that are favourable for drug delivery are discussed. The drug delivery applications of NCDs particularly as sensing and real-time tracing probe, antimicrobial, anticancer, neurodegenerative agents are reviewed. The clinical aspects of NCDs are also reviewed as an initiative to strengthen the case of NCDs as potent drug delivery agents.
天然碳基量子点（NCDs）是碳家族中新兴的一类纳米材料。与其他传统的碳量子点（CDs）相比，NCDs 具有丰富的资源、环保特性、水溶性能、多样的功能和生物相容性，因此在研究人员中获得了广泛的赞誉。NCDs 表面存在不同的官能团，如巯基、羧基、羟基等，这提高了量子产率、物理化学和光学性能，从而促进了生物成像、传感和药物输送。通过概述 NCDs 在药物输送应用中的来源和基本原理、NCDs 的不同合成途径以及每种方法的优点，本综述提供了有关 NCDs 的全面知识。详细讨论了光学性质背后的机制、毒理学概况，包括对药物输送有利的 NCDs 的生物安全性和生物分布。还综述了 NCDs 在药物输送方面的应用，特别是作为传感和实时追踪探针、抗菌、抗癌、神经退行性药物的应用。还综述了 NCDs 的临床方面，以加强 NCDs 作为有效药物输送剂的案例。
