ABSTRACT
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a promising alternative in the delivery of various drugs because of their optical and chemical properties on their surface that promote low toxicity in biological systems and great ability to associate with drugs or molecules by adsorption or chemical bonding. On the other hand, the CNTs have a low dispersion in aqueous media, this problem can be solved through the functionalization of the surface of the nanotubes with specific chemical groups, or biological species. Several studies have been carried out with functionalized CNTs, used as vehicles for the delivery of antimicrobial drugs in a controlled and oriented way, presenting an optimization in the therapeutic activity, improving the antimicrobial action and reducing its toxicity. However, the results presented for their toxicity are still contradictory. These contradictions may be related to the various forms of production, purification, and functionalization, in addition to the different 394concentrations, hindering the interpretations of the results. It is necessary to develop reproducible protocols to ensure the safety of the use of CNTs as drug delivery systems.
