Recently, we were pondering whether graphene is being added to vaccines and where these ideas originated? Today, in a topic-related post, considering the approaching disease season in Poland, we will examine the possibility of using graphene as a drug delivery platform.
For such a platform to be effective, it must be safe for the human body, meaning it should not induce a toxic effect upon application. Furthermore, it should possess specific functionality, releasing the drug at a programmed time, thus aiding in effective therapy. To achieve this, other molecules with desired properties can be attached to the surface of graphene materials, which can react with infected cells. With the ability to control the oxidation state of graphene materials, one can regulate the amount of attached substances and the timing of their release from the surface of the flakes, which is advantageous in this kind of application.
Few years ago, Łukasiewicz – Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics, in collaboration with Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego w Warszawie, has patented a solution that can be used for this purpose. The invention relates to an aqueous suspension of graphene oxide G-Flake®, decorated with platinum metal nanoparticles, and its application as an anti-cancer agent.
Of course, before the solutions mentioned in today’s post can be implemented as a therapeutic tool, many years of preclinical and clinical research are still required. In particular, there is still a lack of conclusive studies on the long-term exposure of cells and tissues exposed to graphene material and an understanding of the mechanisms that regulate interactions between carbon nanomaterial and living matter. Therefore, as of today, we cannot announce success.