Metallic nanoparticles as a strategy for the treatment of infectious diseases

VILLEGAS NATALIA; RAVETTI SOLEDAD; BERMUDEZ JOSE; CID, ALICIA GRACIELA; ALLEMANDI DANIEL; PALMA SANTIAGO

Materials for Biomedical Engineering - Bioactive Materials for Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Gene Therapy

Elsevier

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2019; p. 383 - 407

The field of bioactive materials involves the development of new biomedical tools and applications. Recently developed materials, as well as modified classical devices, can now be more efficiently utilized for medicine and biomedical research. Most innovative applications have had to do with the detection and therapy of severe diseases. In this context, infectious diseases, cancer, and modern molecular therapies have benefited the most. Therapeutic approaches on these topics include smart nanostructures, drug delivery systems, coatings, and devices. Such materials are tailored to be useful for the therapy of most tumors and infections. Also, cutting-edge therapeutic approaches, such as gene therapy, have benefited from the design of nanoparticles, which aided their facilitation. Biomaterials can be combined with various bioactive molecules, such as therapeutic drugs, DNA, labeling agents, and targeting molecules, in order to create specific therapeutic tools. The purpose of this book is to offer an updated review of the recent findings made in the field of bioactive materials designed for the therapy of cancer and infectious diseases, highlighting the impact of recent developments on gene therapy. Chapter 14, Metallic nanoparticles as a strategy for the treatment of infectious diseases, by Natalia Angel Villegas et al., focuses on the description of different therapeutic alternatives based on metallic nanoparticles, including general properties, advantages and disadvantages, and potential applications. Some remarks regarding future challenges are also discussed.