Medicines are one of the most essentials in our daily life. Experiments in the medical field and diagnosis are continuous processes where the professional and research team will always be involved in finding new solutions for different diseases and treatment therapies.  The use of technology in medical instruments, drugs, and therapy has made diagnosis more effective and easier for doctors. Hence the evolution of technology in medicine will benefit the patients as well by reducing pain and early cure of diseases. Now in this article, we will talk about one such technology that is used in medicines named nanotechnology along with which will we also cover the principles, regulatory issues, and the benefits of the same.

What are Nanomedicines?

Before learning the benefits or the properties of nanomedicine it very essential to understand the concept of nanomedicine. Now let us define nanomedicine in simple words, nanomedicines are prepared with the use of nanotechnology where the use of nanomaterial is done in various processes like medical diagnosis, prevention, control of disease, monitoring, and treatment. The properties include the material developed on the nanometric scale from 10-9 m and it will differ at a bigger scale in chemistry, physics, or biological terminology.

Some examples of nanotechnology-based medicines or drugs are-

• Doxil was the first nanotechnology-based medicine that was approved in the year 1995, It was used to treat cancers of the lymph system breast, stomach, and others.
• Abraxane which is used in the treatment of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and non-small-cell lung cancer, approved by the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
• Rapamune is a drug used in patients for the prevention of the rejection of the organ by the body after transplantation. It uses the components of nanocrystals which help increase drug solubility and which leads to improving biosolubility. This nanotechnology drug was approved in the year 2000 by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
• Cabenuva is a drug that is the prescribed medical treatment for HIV-1, which is used to replace the antiretroviral regimen present in adults. The first injectable nanotechnology drug that is approved by the FDA.

Nanotechnology Applications

Biosensors: the application of nanotechnology in biosensors has increased the sensitivity which can even detect the biomolecules of the low-level present in the body fluid like urine and blood and that helps in the early detection of disease and its treatment. The analysis of proteins, cells, and genes is also possible with the use of microfluidic devices. The vivo diagnostics is one of the approaches of nanomedicine by which devices can be prepared that are capable of responding and working within the human body

Drug delivery system: The usage of nanotechnology in devices like DNA guns and vaccines which is an important application for the transfer of DNA material to the body. This is also an effective way to deliver the drug without any side effects, also to achieve the controlled delivery of the drug to target body parts like tumors, affected areas, and damaged tissues.

Nanoparticles and challenges 

The unique property of nanomedicine is its nanoparticles which makes it different from other medicines. Due to its small size, it can be used to deliver medicine to the targeted body part without any biological barriers which is a major problem in the traditional treatment process. Even biocompatibility can be achieved with modification in the surface of the nanoparticles for smooth coordination with the other body parts. All these properties will make the nanomedicine safe and effective for use in the healthcare industry 

The application of nanotechnology can be a long run but the process of handling the regulatory issues is crucial. The regulatory issues create challenges in effectiveness, safety, and ethics 

Conclusion 

In short, the article talks about the ways the medical and pharmaceutical industry is adopting technological advancement to increase the effectiveness of the treatment and diagnosis process. The use of nanotechnology in various fields like medicines, devices drug delivery processes and many more has even crossed the barriers faced in traditional medication. By understanding the properties and the applications of nanotechnology in medical science we can pave a new way to not only treat the diseases but also to eradicate them and make our lives healthier.