Tag: Nanomedicine

According to reports, up to 90% of new drug candidates are poorly water-soluble, which poses a significant challenge for effective delivery. Addressing this, mixed micelles—nano-sized colloidal structures formed from a mixture of amphiphilic molecules—offer an elegant solution by significantly improving the aqueous solubility of otherwise insoluble substances.

Native curcumin, a powerful polyphenol from turmeric, is severely limited in its therapeutic use by poor aqueous solubility and minimal bioavailability, with one study showing less than 50 ng/mL reaching the bloodstream even at high oral doses. Curcumin nanoformulations offer a solution by encapsulating curcumin in nanocarriers, dramatically improving its solubility, stability, and therapeutic efficacy.

Despite claims made by some dietary supplement companies, ingesting gold nanoparticles is not recommended and comes with potential health risks. The inert nature of bulk gold changes drastically at the nanoscale, where properties like large surface area and high reactivity can become toxic within the body. While some products containing colloidal gold are marketed for wellness, many expert bodies warn against their oral use due to insufficient safety data.

According to research published in the Royal Society of Chemistry, nano-fertilizers have demonstrated remarkable increases in crop yields, with some studies showing improvements of up to 55% for wheat and 40% for rice. This incredible efficiency underscores the transformative benefits of nano nutrients across various fields, including agriculture and human health.