Toxic and Beneficial Potential of Silver Nanoparticles: The Two Sides of the Same Coin.
Adv Exp Med Biol
; 1048: 251-262, 2018.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29453543
ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology has allowed great changes in chemical, biological and physical properties of metals when compared to their bulk counterparts. Within this context, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) play a major role due to their unique properties, being widely used in daily products such as fabrics, washing machines, water filters, food and medicine. However, AgNPs can enter cells inducing a "Trojan-horse" type mechanism which potentially leads to cellular autophagy, apoptosis or necrosis. On the other hand, this cytotoxicity mechanism can be optimized to develop drug nanocarriers and anticancer therapies. The increasing use of these NPs entails their release into the environment, damaging ecosystems balance and representing a threat to human health. In this context, the possible deleterious effects that these NPs may represent for the biotic and abiotic ecosystems components represent an obstacle that must be overcome in order to guarantee the safety use of their unique properties.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Silver
/
Autophagy
/
Drug Carriers
/
Apoptosis
/
Metal Nanoparticles
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Adv Exp Med Biol
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil