Cisplatin filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes – a novel molecular hybrid of anticancer drug container

Here, a study on Cisplatin (cis-Diammineplatinum(II) dichloride – CDDP) insertion within multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via capillary forces is presented. The employment of MWCNTs as anticancer drug nano-vectors is suggested by the harmful side effects occurring after the chemotherapeutic treatment due to the lack of selectivity of the chemotherapeutic agents in general. Cisplatin is widely used as a powerful cell-killer but without any cell-specificity. Via high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) CDDP clusters inserted into MWCNTs were detected. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) revealed the signal of CDDP constitutive elements. Raman Spectroscopy and InfraRed analysis excluded the presence of the drug on the tubes outer shell. Thermogravimetric (TGA) study was exploited to evaluate the purity of the material and to calculate the amount of CDDP incorporated into the tubes. A time dependent release of CDDP indicated that the outflow took place in the range between 12 and 48 h. After this time ~95% of the drug previously embedded was discharged

Interaction of double-stranded DNA inside single-walled carbon nanotubes

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic material for all living organisms, and as a nanostructure offers the means to create novel nanoscale devices. In this paper, we investigate the interaction of deoxyribonucleic acid inside single-walled carbon nanotubes. Using classical applied mathematical modeling, we derive explicit analytical expressions for the encapsulation of DNA inside single-walled carbon nanotubes. We adopt the 6–12 Lennard–Jones potential function together with the continuous approach to determine the preferred minimum energy position of the dsDNA molecule inside a single-walled carbon nanotube, so as to predict its location with reference to the cross-section of the carbon nanotube. An analytical expression is obtained in terms of hypergeometric functions which provides a computationally rapid procedure to determine critical numerical values. We observe that the double-strand DNA can be encapsulated inside a single-walled carbon nanotube with a radius larger than 12.30 Å, and we show that the optimal single-walled carbon nanotube to enclose a double-stranded DNA has radius 12.8 Å.Mansoor H. Alshehri; Barry J. Cox; James M. Hil

Nanotechnology: a big revolution from the small world

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field originating from the interaction of several different disciplines, such as engineering, physics, biology and chemistry. New materials and devices effectively interact with the body at molecular level, yielding a brand new range of highly selective and targeted applications designed to maximize the therapeutic efficiency while reducing the side effects. Liposomes, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes and superparamagnetic nanoparticles are among the most assessed nanotechnologies. Meanwhile, other futuristic platforms are paving the way toward a new scientific paradigm, able to deeply change the research path in the medical science. The growth of nanotechnology, driven by the dramatic advances in science and technology, clearly creates new opportunities for the development of the medical science and disease treatment in human health care. Despite the concerns and the on-going studies about their safety, nanotechnology clearly emerges as holding the promise of delivering one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of medical scienc