Nowadays, nanotechnology is revolutionizing the approaches to different fields from manufacture to health. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as promising candidates in nanomedicine have great potentials in developing novel entities for central nervous system pathologies, due to their excellent physicochemical properties and ability to interface with neurons and neuronal circuits. However, most of the studies mainly focused on the drug delivery and bioimaging applications of CNTs, while neglect their application prospects as therapeutic drugs themselves. At present, the relevant reviews are not available yet. Herein we summarized the latest advances on the biomedical and therapeutic applications of CNTs in vitro and in vivo for neurological diseases treatments as inherent therapeutic drugs. The biological mechanisms of CNTs-mediated bio-medical effects and potential toxicity of CNTs were also intensely discussed. It is expected that CNTs will exploit further neurological applications on disease therapy in the near future.
Keywords: AD, Alzheimer's disease; ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; BBB, blood–brain barrier; CNS, central nervous system; CNT-N, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes; CNTs, carbon nanotubes; Carbon nanotubes; CpG, oligodeoxynucleotides; DTPA, diethylentriaminepentaacetic; Drug delivery; EBs, embryoid bodies; EDC·HCl, 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride; GO, graphene oxide; HD, Huntington's disease; Inherent medication; MCAO, middle cerebral artery occlusion; METH, methamphetamine; MPO, myeloperoxidase; MWCNTTs, multi-walled nanotube towers; MWCNTs, multi-walled carbon nanotubes; ND, nanodiamond; NHS, N-hydroxysuccinimide; NR, nanorod; NSCs, neural stem cells; Nervous system diseases; PBEC, porcine brain endothelial cells; PCL, polycaprolactone; PD, Parkinson's disease; PEG, polyethylene-glycol; PET, position emission tomography; PMo11V, tetrabutylammonium salt of phosphovanadomolybdate; POCs, polycyclic organic compounds; PPy/SWCNT, polypyrrole/single-walled carbon nanotube; RES, reticuloendothelial system; SWCNTP, single-walled nanotube paper; SWCNTs, single-walled carbon nanotubes; TLR9, the toll-like receptor-9; TMZ, temozolomide; Therapeutic drug; Toxicity; aSWCNTs, aggregated SWCNTs; f-CNTs, functionalized carbon nanotubes; hNSCs, human neural stem cells; siRNA, small interfering RNA.
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