Nanodrugs Could Be Toxic

Researchers in the medical field have been experimenting with nanodrug particles which can be shot into the body to target a specific organ or problem. It was discovered that with manipulation of properties such as charge, composition, and attached surface molecules, researchers can design nanoparticles to deliver medicine to specific body regions and cell types.

The overall positive response of patients to the science projects worldwide have led to personalized nano drugs being touted as the next big thing in medicine.However at the National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Copenhagen, toxicologist Kristina Bram Knudsen and her team have come up with astounding information as they were testing two types of micelles.

A micelle is a nano particle designed to ferry drugs inside the body.  The two kinds tested on lab rats were charged positively and negatively. While the rats injected with the negatively charged micelles or a saline control solution did not suffer any observable harm from the injections, those injected with positively charged micelles developed brain lesions.

The finds are interesting, but the study is very limited in its scope and can not predict that all positively charged micelles will react in the same manner. Further research and science projects are necessary to see if these nano particles should really be avoided in the treatment of humans.