Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea.
Chem Soc Rev. 2021 Mar 1;50(4):2260-2279. doi: 10.1039/d0cs01175d.
Pnictogens (the non-metal phosphorus, metalloids arsenic and antimony, and metal bismuth) possess diverse chemical characteristics that support the formation of extended molecular structures. As witnessed by the centuries-old (and ongoing) clinical utilities, pnictogen-based compounds have secured their places in history as "magic bullet" therapeutic drugs in medicinal contexts. Moreover, with the development of recent metalloproteomics and bio-coordination chemistry, the pnictogen-based drugs functionally binding to proteins/enzymes in biological systems have been underlaid for "drug repurposing" with promising opportunities. Furthermore, advances in the modern materials science and nonotechnology have stimulated a revolution in other newly discovered forms of pnictogens-phosphorene, arsenene, antimonene, and bismuthine (layered pnictogens). Based on their favorable optoelectronic properties, layered pnictogens have shown dramatic superiority as emerging photonic nanomedicines for the treatment of various diseases. This tutorial review outlines the history and mechanism of action of ancient pnictogen-based drugs (e.g., arsenical compounds in traditional Chinese medicine) and their repurposing into modern therapeutics. Then, the revolutionary use of emerging layered pnictogens as photonic nanomedicines, alongside assessments of their in vivo biosafety, is discussed. Finally, the challenges to further development of pnictogens are set forth and insights for further exploration of their appealing properties are offered. This tutorial review may also provide some deep insights into the fields of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicines from the perspective of materials science and nanotechnology.
准金属（非金属磷、类金属砷和锑以及金属铋）具有多样化的化学特性，支持形成扩展的分子结构。正如几个世纪以来（并且仍在继续）的临床应用所证明的那样，基于准金属的化合物在医学领域作为“魔弹”治疗药物已确立了它们的地位。此外，随着最近金属蛋白组学和生物配位化学的发展，基于准金属的药物在生物系统中与蛋白质/酶结合的功能已被用于“药物再利用”，具有广阔的前景。此外，现代材料科学和纳米技术的进步刺激了其他新发现的准金属形式（磷烯、砷烯、锑烯和铋烯（层状准金属）的革命。基于其有利的光电特性，层状准金属已显示出作为新兴光学生物医学治疗各种疾病的巨大优势。本教程综述概述了古代基于准金属的药物（例如，传统中药中的砷化合物）的历史和作用机制及其在现代治疗学中的再利用。然后，讨论了新兴的层状准金属作为光学生物医学的革命性用途，以及对其体内生物安全性的评估。最后，提出了进一步开发准金属的挑战，并提供了进一步探索其诱人特性的见解。从材料科学和纳米技术的角度来看，本教程综述也可能为中西医结合领域提供一些深刻的见解。
