Nanotechnology currently plays a pivotal role in several fields and has enabled substantial advances in a relatively short time. In biomedicine, nanomaterials can be potentially employed as a tool for early diagnosis and an innovative mode of drug delivery. Novel nanomaterials are currently widely manipulated without a full assessment of their potential health risks. It is commonly thought that nanomaterials’ first contact with the organism is through the different components of the immune system. However, if the entry route is intravenous, the first contact will be with the blood’s components (erythrocytes, platelets, white cells, plasma and complement proteins). The presence of nanomaterials within a dynamic environment such as the bloodstream can produce potential harmful effects following interaction with several blood components. The design of innovative strategies leading to the development of more hemocompatible nanomaterials is also necessary.

Pharmacokinetic Properties and Safety of Cadmium-Containing Quantum Dots as Drug Delivery Systems | InTechOpen, Published on: 2014-07-25. Authors: Lourdes Rodriguez-Fragoso, Ivonne Gutiérrez-Sancha, Patricia Rodríguez-Fragoso, et

Purpose: In order to determine material toxicity, we treated cells at low concentrations for both short and long time periods, and examined cell death and genotoxic effects.

The nanotechnological application of quantum dots that has gained prominence in the last two decades is fluorescence emission bioimaging. However, one of the greatest achievements of nanomedicine is the innovative design, synthesis, and application of quantum dots, which have enabled the research and development of innovative antineoplastic drug delivery vehicles. The use of nanomaterials, such as CdS dextrin quantum dots loaded with antineoplastic drugs, will not only enable the timely diagnosis of diseases such as cancer, but also the selective entry into and destruction of cancer cells, causing as little damage as possible to healthy tissue. This progress and advancement in nanotechnology now allows targeted detection and therapy to be one of the main objectives. However, the interaction that may occur between quantum dots and certain blood components following intravenous administration remains a focus of concern in preclinical evaluations of nanomaterials and drug delivery.