Nanomedicine and graphene-based materials: advanced technologies for potential treatments of diseases in the developing nervous system

Abstract

The interest in graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) application in nanomedicine, in particular in neurology, steadily increased in the last decades. GBNs peculiar physical–chemical properties allow the design of innovative therapeutic tools able to manipulate biological structures with subcellular resolution. In this review, we report GBNs applications to the central nervous system (CNS) when these nanomaterials are engineered as potential therapeutics to treat brain pathologies, with a focus on those of the pediatric age. We revise the state-of-the art studies addressing the impact of GBNs in the CNS, showing that the design of GBNs with different dimensions and chemical compositions or the use of specific administration routes and doses can limit unwanted side effects, exploiting GBNs efficacy in therapeutic approaches. These features favor the development of GBNs-based multifunctional devices that may find applications in the field of precision medicine for the treatment of disorders in the developing CNS. In this framework, we address the suitability of GBNs to become successful therapeutic tools, such as drug nano-delivery vectors when being chemically decorated with pharmaceutical agents and/or other molecules to obtain a high specific targeting of the diseased area and to achieve a controlled release of active molecules. Impact The translational potential of graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) can be used for the design of novel therapeutic approaches to treat pathologies affecting the brain with a focus on the pediatric age. GBNs can be chemically decorated with pharmaceutical agents and molecules to obtain a highly specific targeting of the diseased site and a controlled drug release. The type of GBNs, the selected functionalization, the dose, and the way of administration are factors that should be considered to potentiate the therapeutic efficacy of GBNs, limiting possible side effects. GBNs-based multifunctional devices might find applications in the precision medicine and theranostics fields.

Global prevalence of myasthenia gravis and the effectiveness of common drugs in its treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The application of nanotechnology is promising, given frustrating problems in therapeutic neurology [ 146 ]. Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of technological machinery at the atomic scale.…”

“…Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of technological machinery at the atomic scale. For perspective, a nucleus is about 6 μm across, a ribosome 20 nm in diameter, and a single strand of DNA 2 nm wide [ 146 ]. A typical human being is composed of 100 trillion cells.…”

“…Nanotechnology has created novel devices for the treatment of various neurological diseases. Shrinkage of machinery, chip-based technologies, and the creation of unprecedented nanomaterials are contributing immensely to the reduction of morbidity [ 146 , 147 ]…”

“…This can be thwarted using better drug targeting. Diagnosing and monitoring the end-effects of therapeutics is possible using nanoneurotechnology [ 146 – 148 ].…”

Sub-Lethal Concentrations of Graphene Oxide Trigger Acute-Phase Response and Impairment of Phase-I Xenobiotic Metabolism in Upcyte® Hepatocytes

“…These functionalities make GO water-soluble and easily conjugable to bio-macromolecules or small ligands. Therefore, based on such intrinsic properties, GO can be considered a suitable candidate for loading drugs or other bioactive molecules and/or for acting as vehicle system of drugs to treat, for instance, cancer ( Liu et al, 2021 ) or pathologies affecting the brain in the paediatric age ( Cellot et al, 2021 ).…”