Potential of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles as an Anticancer Agent: A Review

Hemaroopini  Subramaniam; Sinouvassane  Djearamane; Lai Hock  Tey; Ling Shing  Wong; Piyush Kumar  Gupta; Ashok Kumar  Janakiraman

doi:10.18006/2022.10(3).494.501

Authors

Hemaroopini Subramaniam Department of Allied Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Perak, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4309-644X
Sinouvassane Djearamane Department of Allied Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Perak, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8251-662X
Lai Hock Tey Department of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Perak, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8669-1479
Ling Shing Wong Life Science Division, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5869-0804
Piyush Kumar Gupta Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3346-910X
Ashok Kumar Janakiraman Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UCSI University, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9670-8323

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18006/2022.10(3).494.501

Keywords:

Cancer, Nanotechnology, Drug delivery, Green synthesis, Zinc oxide nanoparticles

Abstract

According to reports, one of the leading causes of mortality is cancer. Over the years, numerous approaches have been devised to lessen chronic pain and death as well as to elevate the quality of life. However, a scarcity persists in the effectiveness of cancer treatments. Early cancer identification and medication delivery with excellent specificity to reduce toxicities are two critical elements in ensuring effective cancer treatment. As a result of severe systemic toxicities and issues with current cancer diagnostic and treatment procedures, alternative nanotechnology-based techniques are being employed to improve detection and minimize disease severity. Nanotechnology has shown promising breakthroughs in cancer therapy by eliminating tumours with minimal damage to surrounding healthy cells. Since zinc is one of the necessary trace elements found in large amounts in human body tissues, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are said to be the most cost-effective and have the least hazardous characteristics of all metal oxide nanoparticles. In addition, ZnO NPs have several biological uses, notably in the field of drug administration. In this review, we tried to explore the advantage of ZnO NPs in the biomedical field, particularly in the treatment of cancer which can help to facilitate future research progress.

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