Affiliations 

  • 1 Laboratory Fundamental of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, 42300, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Pharmaceutical chemistry, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, 57000, Malaysia
  • 3 Laboratory Fundamental of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, 42300, Malaysia. minaketantripathy@gmail.com
  • 4 ICAR-NBAIM, Kushmaur, 275103, India
  • 5 Pharmaceutical Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, 42300, Malaysia
  • 6 Mangalore University, Mangalgangothri, Mangalore, Karnataka, 574199, India
Drug Deliv Transl Res, 2019 04;9(2):578-594.
PMID: 29594914 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-018-0505-9

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess outstanding properties that could be useful in several technological, drug delivery, and diagnostic applications. However, their unique physical and chemical properties are hindered due to their poor solubility. This article review's the different ways and means of solubility enhancement of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The advantages of SWNTs over the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and the method of non-covalent modification for solubility enhancement has been the key interest in this review. The review also highlights a few examples of dispersant design. The review includes some interesting utility of SWNTs being wrapped with polymer especially in biological media that could mediate proper drug delivery to target cells. Further, the use of wrapped SWNTs with phospholipids, nucleic acid, and amphiphillic polymers as biosensors is of research interest. The review aims at summarizing the developments relating to wrapped SWNTs to generate further research prospects in healthcare.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.