Halloysite is a natural nanomaterial available in quantities of thousands of tons and at a cheap price, facts that make it a suitable candidate to be used as a basis for the development of complex nanomaterials.
![loading halloysite nanotubes with the drug from its saturated solution; (b,c mixing the mineral in the drug solution, removing air from the tubes, introducing the drugs into the nanotubes, washing the outer solution and getting nanotubes filled with the drug. [Courtesy: Yuri Lvov, Wencai Wang, Liqun Zhang, Rawil Fakhrullin]](https://www.hayadan.org.il/images/content3/2015/10/151023121842_1_540x3601-500x255.jpg)
[Translation by Dr. Nachmani Moshe]
Halloysite is a natural nanomaterial available in quantities of thousands of tons and at a cheap price, facts that make it a suitable candidate to be used as a basis for the development of complex nanomaterials. In its chemical composition, the mineral is similar to kaolin and can be considered as rolled layers of kaolin with an inner diameter of 20-10 nanometers, an outer diameter of 70-40 nanometers and a length of 1500-500 nanometers. The inner side of the mineral consists of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and the outer side consists mainly of silica (SiO2).
The inner volume of the halloysite can be adjusted by consuming 30-20% of the volume of the tube and use it as a natural nano-container for the carrying and delayed release of chemical substances. The ceramic nanotubes make up the hard skeleton of the polymeric material while increasing the material's hardness and chemical stability. The nanotubes can be filled with drugs, for example, antibacterial and anti-aging drugs, or other important substances, for example, anti-fusion and flame retardants. The mineral can also be used for the entrapment of enzymes for their long-term storage and for the benefit of their resistance at high temperatures, while the inner cavity can be used as a catalytic site. Inserting DNA into halloysite is another future research direction. As functional materials, the leucite tubules could be used for the construction of biological cells, similar to the production of the outer sheath of spores.
Experiments in biological cells and worms show that the material is safe for living creatures and is non-toxic, and in addition it is able to release molecules in a controlled manner, which will make these tiny containers especially useful in applications of drug delivery, antibacterial agents, self-repairing polymers, and even regenerative medicine. Despite all these advantages, the substance does not break down in the body due to the fact that there are no biological mechanisms in the body to break down this aluminosilicate substance, and in addition it cannot be injected into the bloodstream through the vein. At the same time, it will be possible to use it for external medical treatment for the slow release of drugs, for example in the form of creams, implants, or patches to treat wounds and damaged tissues, such as burns.
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There are drugs that are destroyed by exposure to oxygen. Nano particles of the above substance can delay or stop the oxidation of the drug and thus increase its availability to the body. The same applies to radiation protection, substances secreted by the skin and particles in the air.
In addition, there are many drugs that are highly effective but also toxic to the body, which prevents their concentration from being higher than a certain value. Delayed release of nano particles can allow long-term treatment of the substance while maintaining a low dose throughout the treatment.
Shalom Yehuda.
The above system is used as a system for transferring drugs in a delayed and controlled manner. Simply applying a medicine to the skin does indeed do the job, but not at the level of efficiency and control as in the above system.
The advantage is slow release.
At the end of the article, from a medical point of view, the substance can only be used as an external ointment because the body is unable to break down aluminum oxide. So why not apply the medicine without the above substance?.
Please respond gently
Good night