Nanotechnology is the science of materials and devices whose structures and components exhibit novel and significantly altered physical, chemical and biological properties, phenomenon and processes due to their nanoscale size. The most important applications of nanotechnology in healthcare are diagnosis, drug delivery and development of nano-medicines including nanosurgical procedures. In the recent past, pharmaceutical technology has initiated to take the advantage of the advent of nanotechnology. Still more research and teaching of this discipline in pharmacy is highly needed. The present article describes the importance and potential of nanotechnology in pharmacy and to make aware pharmacy professionals and academicians regarding its prospects in curriculum.
This newer discipline has significantly affected various sectors of science and technology. During the last few decades, emerging field of nanoscience and nanoengineering have made an unprecedented impact on various segments such as food science, environment and energy, military and security, electronics, agriculture, chemicals, cosmetics and health science is not an exception. Nanomedicines include monitoring, repair, construction and control of human biological systems at the molecular level, using engineered nanodevices and nanostructures. Smart nanomedicines can be tailored to provide a more predictable targeting of a drug to a confined organ leading to decreased toxicity, controlled release, smaller dosage regimen and protection of drug against the environment. This technology has been found useful in treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis and even in brain targeting. Future of nanotechnology has great potential and it is believed that it can change society more than the industrial revolution.
Tools of nanotechnology
Various nanotechnology-based tools having applications in diagnosis, detection and treatment are as follows:
■ Dendrimer is a molecule having potential to link treatment with detection and diagnostics. In case of drug delivery, it has the capability to hold therapeutic substances such as DNA in their cavity. Most important applications of dendrimers are solubilization, gene therapy, dendrimer-based drug delivery, immunoassay and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents.
■ Quantum Dots (QDs) are tiny-light emitting particles on the nanometer scale. These are developed as a new class of fluorescence probes for molecular imaging and medical diagnostics. QDs have large impact on some important developments in different medical areas, in vitro and in vivo detection and analysis of biomolecules, immunoassays, DNA hybridization, development of non-viral vectors for gene therapy.
■ Cantilevers help in detection of cancer. In case of cancerous cells, they bind to altered DNA proteins which result in altered surface tension and lead to bending of cantilevers. By monitoring the bending of cantilever, cancer can be detected easily and treated at early stages.
■ Nanoshells are developed for the targeted destruction of various cancers. They act by absorbing light and successfully kill tumour cells while leaving neighboring cells intact.
■ Nanotubes have a diameter half to that of DNA. Due to this, they help in detection of DNA changes associated with cancer. They offer some distinct advantages over other drug delivery and diagnostic systems due to very interesting physicochemical properties.
Outcomes of nanotechnology in healthcare
Few of the fruitful outcomes of nanotechnology in healthcare are:
■ Albumin conjugated paclitaxel as a nanoparticle is used for treatment of taxane-refractory metastatic breast cancer.
■ Anticancer drugs have been developed in the form of nanoencapsulation, enclosing drugs in lipid nanocapsules and encapsulating drug in hydrogel nanoparticles.
■ Targeted drug delivery with nanoparticles has been observed to be very effective e.g. PEG-coated nanoparticles.
■ Doxorubicin bound to polysorbate coated nanoparticles crosses blood brain barrier (BBB) and is used in treatment of human glioblastoma.
■ Biocompatible polymeric micelles with polysorbate 80 for use in brain targeting.
■ Nanoemulsions are used in drug delivery and in food industries for the development of nutraceuticals.
■ Sunscreens are developed containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles.
Besides incorporation of nanotechnology-based topics in pharmacy curriculum at under graduate or/and postgraduate level, awareness of nanotechnology is highly desirable among Indian pharmacists. This can be done by adopting some of the following steps:
■ To encourage, conduct and promote research projects at academic-industrial level so as to excel the research in this area.
■ To undertake educational programmes and to organize courses of studies, lectures, symposia/seminars and workshops in various aspects of nanotechnology and make the fraternity acquainted with the subject.
■ To invite eminent resource persons dexterous in the field of nanotechnology, from different varsities/industries and abroad to share their views and experiences with the pharmacy pupils.
■ To undertake and provide for the publication of suitable literature comprising journals, books, research papers, monographs that may be considered desirable in furtherance of the objectives.
However, Indian pharmaceutical researchers have also initiated their research on nanosuspensions and nanoemulsions, and the results are encouraging.
Conclusion
Nanotechnology has the capability to change society more than industrial revolution. In the coming times, pharmaceutical education in India has to set new priorities so as to keep pace with the challenges ahead. Awareness should be created to highlight the importance and potential of nanotechnology in pharmacy and bring it to attention of pharmacy fraternity. Considering its scope and contribution with a myriad of applications in diagnosis, drug delivery and treatment, it should be given due importance while designing curriculum for pharmacy students and related topics should be incorporated.
(The authors Prabodh Chander Sharma, Rakesh Pahwa and Sonia Yadav are with Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra and D. N. Mishra is professor and dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, GJUST, Hisar)