Fullerenes as unique nanopharmaceuticals for disease treatment

As unique nanoparticles, fullerenes have attracted much attention due to their unparalleled physical, chemical and biological properties. Various functionalized fullerenes with -OH, -NH₂, -COOH, and peptide modifications were developed. It summarized the biological activities of fullerenes derivatives in cancer therapy with high efficiency and low toxicity, as reactive oxygen species scavenger and lipid peroxidation inhibitor, to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus and to suppress bacteria and microbial at low concentration. In addition, the mechanism for fullerene to enter cells and biodistribution of fullerene in vivo was also discussed. This research focuses on the current understanding of fullerenes-based nanomaterials in the potential clinical application as well as biological mechanism of fullerenes and its derivatives in disease therapy.