Over the past few years, significant efforts have been made to decrease the effects of drought stress on plant productivity and quality. We propose that fullerenol nanoparticles (FNPs, molecular formula C₆₀(OH)₂₄) may help alleviate drought stress by serving as an additional intercellular water supply. Specifically, FNPs are able to penetrate plant leaf and root tissues, where they bind water in various cell compartments. This hydroscopic activity suggests that FNPs could be beneficial in plants. The aim of the present study was to analyse the influence of FNPs on sugar beet plants exposed to drought stress. Our results indicate that intracellular water metabolism can be modified by foliar application of FNPs in drought exposed plants. Drought stress induced a significant increase in the compatible osmolyte proline in both the leaves and roots of control plants, but not in FNP treated plants. These results indicate that FNPs could act as intracellular binders of water, creating an additional water reserve, and enabling adaptation to drought stress. Moreover, analysis of plant antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, APx and GPx), MDA and GSH content indicate that fullerenol foliar application could have some beneficial effect on alleviating oxidative effects of drought stress, depending on the concentration of nanoparticles applied. Although further studies are necessary to elucidate the biochemical impact of FNPs on plants; the present results could directly impact agricultural practice, where available water supplies are often a limiting factor in plant bioproductivity.

This review describes the chemical synthesis of polar polyhydroxylated fullerene C₆₀ derivatives, fullerenols C₆₀(OH)_n, 2 ≤ n ≤ 44, C₆₀H_zO_x(OH)_y, and polyanion fullerenols C₆₀(OH)₁₅(ONa)₉, ranging from the very first synthetic methods up to some contemporary approaches to synthesis and separation. It also provides some basic information about physical characteristics of fullerenols. With the increasing number of hydroxyl groups, water solubility of fullerenols increases as well. Fullerenols both in water and biological media build nanoparticles of different dimensions and stability. In different chemical and biological model systems a large number of various polyhydroxylated fullerene derivatives were tested and they showed both their antioxidative and prooxidative characteristics. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the antioxidant activity of fullerenol. In addition, this paper also provides insight into patents referring to the antioxidant properties of fullerenol.

Clinical use of doxorubicin continues to be challenged by its undesirable systematic toxicity, caused mainly by oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of fullerenol C₆₀(OH)₂₄ polyanion nanoparticles, an antioxidant agent, against doxorubicin-induced nephro-, testicular, and pulmonary toxicity. Results obtained in vitro suggest that fullerenol’s anti-proliferative property and protective effect against doxorubicin cytotoxicity are mediated by the antioxidative and radical scavenging activity. Male Wistar rats were divided into five treatment groups: the control group (I) received 0.9% NaCl (1 mL/kg, i.p.). Groups II, III, IV, and V received a single dose of doxorubicin (10 mg/kg i.p.), doxorubicin/fullerenol (100 and 50 mg/kg i.p. of fullerenol 30 min prior to 10 mg/kg i.p. of doxorubicin), and fullerenol (100 mg/kg i.p.), respectively. On the 2^nd and 14^th days, organ samples were taken for the measurement of lipid peroxidation and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-peroxidase, -reductase, and -transferase. Doxorubicin induced a significant increase of lipid peroxidation and alterations of antioxidant enzyme activities, while the fullerenol pre-treatment prevented the effects of doxorubicin on investigated parameters. Fullerenol, applied alone, did not alter basal values of the investigated animals. Considering the mechanisms of doxorubicin toxicity, it can be concluded that fullerenol exerts its protective role by acting as a free radical sponge and/or by removing free iron through formation of fullerenol-iron complex. Results of this study support the hypothesis of testicular, pulmo-, and nephroprotective efficacy of fullerenol in preventing oxidative stress induced by doxorubicin.

Radiotherapy-induced toxicity is a major dose-limiting factor in anti-cancer treatment. Ionizing radiation leads to the formation of reactive oxygen