Nano drug delivery systems: a new paradigm for treating metal toxicity

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The standard medical treatment for metal toxicity is chelation therapy. Chelating agents work by forming less toxic complexes with the toxic metal ions which are readily excreted from the body. These compounds, based on their hydrophilic/lipophilic property, can either remove toxic metal ions from extracellular sites or can penetrate the intracellular compartments to facilitate the removal of toxic metal ions. However, there are various disadvantages associated with this kind of therapy, notably, selectivity. Other problems and challenges are that the therapy regime is expensive, time consuming and has poor patient compliance. Two chelating agents, dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and dimercaptopropionicsulfonate (DMPS) have gained increased acceptance among clinicians, undoubtedly improving the management of metal intoxications.

Areas covered: The present review provides an insight into the conventional chelating agents, new chelators under development, and the new opportunities presented by the use of nanotherapy for the treatment of metal poisoning cases.

Expert opinion: Today’s research should not only focus towards development of alternate chelators but also targeted therapy such as the nanotherapy.

KEYWORDS:

• Chelation therapy
• metal toxicity
• nanodrug delivery systems
• nanotherapy

Article highlights

• Conventional chelating agents for the standard treatment of metal toxicity.

• Limitations of chelating agents.

• Alternative chelators under development.

• Alternative treatment strategy (nanodrug delivery systems) for treatment in future.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.