Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Potential Risks and Benefits
Zinc oxide Nanoparticles can be synthetic or natural and they’re further classified into several types i.e. metal nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles, quantum dots, and carbon nanoparticles.
Synthetic nanoparticles are smaller in size and have physicochemical features. They have a high surface area as compared to the larger counterparts of the same object. In simple words, the number of atoms on the surface is far greater than the number of atoms in the interior of the material in synthetic nanoparticles.
Zinc is a food additive and nutritional supplement. Zinc, when melted and oxidized, produces zinc oxide nanoparticles that are highly antibacterial and contribute to affecting the growth of bacteria including E. Coli, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus.
Applications of ZnO Nanoparticles
Currently, there are several applications of ZnO nanoparticles in medicine due to their antibacterial properties.
Zinc nanoparticles are also used in applications like pigments, paints, dyes, personal care products, electronics, and cosmetics.
With so many applications, it is common for us to consume these nanoparticles one way or the other. We may be exposed to these nanoparticles via oral, inhalational, dermal penetration, or intravenous routes.
Let us discuss some potential benefits and risks of zinc oxide nanoparticles
Benefits of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Nanomedicine applications are thriving in today’s world – it is the future. Countless applications of nanomedicines are used recently to cure diseases and stop bacterial growth. ZnO nanoparticles are one of them. They have high solubility, bioavailability, and biocompatibility to be used as an alternative to biomolecules activity. They’re used in body systems where biomolecules can maintain cellular homeostasis and regulate the cellular cycle.
Zinc nanoparticles are FDA approved to be used in anticancer therapy. They produce cytotoxicity against cancer cells and the induction of oxidative stress results in killing the cancerous cells.
They also repair and improve the DNA that prevents both cancer cell growth and apoptosis.
Moreover, zinc channels contribute to maintaining a balance between cell death and survival by controlling the intracellular and free zinc moments. It also maintains the p53 that is a tumor suppressor gene – balancing the apoptosis activity.
Potential Risks of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Many research and studies have shown that zinc nanoparticles are antibacterial and can be used to treat several ailments including cancer cell growth. However, some studies indicate the toxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles for some cell lines and organs.
These effects may occur due to the high solubility property of zinc oxide. It can cause oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
According to the study of Han Et Al, zinc oxide nanoparticles can affect memory and learning ability and cause neurotoxic effects.
Verdict
The wide array of ZnO nanoparticles applications in medicine is attracting more medical experts and scientists to work on it and improve nanomedicine technology even in the future. The therapeutic benefits of zinc oxide outweigh the hazards and it may be used as an alternative treatment to cancer instead of chemotherapeutic drugs.
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