Carbon Nanotubes to Deliver Drug Molecules

Nanotechnology is rapidly developing field in especially engineering and medical sciences. Carbon nanotubes are one of the most studied nanomaterials in material sciences and physics. Although there are limitted number of studies have been performed with carbon nanotubes in medical sciences and pharmacy, to use carbon nanotubes as drug delivery material is still at beginning and at developing stage. Carbon nanotubes are adsorptive materials and they can actively adsorb drug molecules on the surface. In this study the adsorption properties of carbon nanotubes were investigated for ibuprofen, naproxen, oxaliplatin and paclitaxel. Desorption properties and the posibility of using them as drug delivery systems for mentioned drugs were investigated and determined. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were also PEGylated and PEGylation was found to be succesfull and effective. Particle sizes and zeta potentials of carbon nanotubes were not altered after PEGylation.