Intro to Nanomedicines

Question 1

What is a nano?

Answer 1

a billionth of a meter

Question 2

Nanoparticles allow an increase drug therapy, what does this mean in terms of drug specificity/efficacy and toxicity?

Answer 2

HIGHER drug specificity/efficacy
LOWER drug toxicity

Question 3

How can nanoparticles be used?

Answer 3

therapeutic agent
drug delivery agent -delivery vectors/carriers
theragnostic (finds the tumour and releases at the tumour site)

Question 4

Why do we use drug delivery systems (DDS)?

Answer 4

carriers for therapeutic, diagnostic molecules to their site of action
encapsulating drugs
reduce side effects
reduce drug resistance
alter the pk of the drug

Question 5

What is Theranostics?

Answer 5

An innovative and personalised approach that combines diagnostic imaging and radionuclide therapy to seek and destroy advanced cancers without damaging healthy tissue

Question 6

Why do we use Nanomedicines?

Answer 6

Improve drug solubility and dissolution due to their high SA: V ratio

Providing sustained/controlled drug release

Protecting drug from hard in vivo conditions, especially if drug is encapsulated

prolongs drugs residence time in systemic circulation

Question 7

How do nanomedicines improve drug transport across biological memebrane?

Answer 7

By formulating certain drugs in Chitosan nanoparticles, improves transport across nasal epithiulium