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Coal-based Carbon Dots (C-CDs) have gradually become a research focus due to the abundant raw materials and low preparation cost. Still, before coal-based carbon dots are widely used, a systematic biological toxicity study is the basis for the safe utilization of C-CDs. However, the level of toxicity and the mechanism of toxicity of C-CDs for organisms are still unclear. To ensure the safe utilization of C-CDs, the present study investigated C-CD nanomaterials as stressors to probe their biotoxic effects on plant, bacterial, and animal cells as well as the photocatalytic oxidative properties of C-CDs. The results showed that low concentrations of C-CDs could promote various growth indicators of wheat, and high concentrations of C-CDs had significant inhibitory effects on wheat growth; C-CDs had significant toxic effects on (S. aureus) at specific concentrations and were light-related; meanwhile, at concentrations of 1–5000 μg/mL, C-CDs were almost not toxic to HeLa cells; however, when irradiated at 365 nm, even low concentrations of C-CDs were toxic to cells by the mechanism that C-CDs could generate singlet oxygen (1O2) by photocatalytic oxidation under 365 nm excitation light, resulting in enhanced toxicity of C-CDs to cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal-based Carbon Dots (C-CDs) have gradually become a research focus due to the abundant raw materials and low preparation cost. Still, before coal-based carbon dots are widely used, a systematic biological toxicity study is the basis for the safe utilization of C-CDs. However, the level of toxicity and the mechanism of toxicity of C-CDs for organisms are still unclear. To ensure the safe utilization of C-CDs, the present study investigated C-CD nanomaterials as stressors to probe their biotoxic effects on plant, bacterial, and animal cells as well as the photocatalytic oxidative properties of C-CDs. The results showed that low concentrations of C-CDs could promote various growth indicators of wheat, and high concentrations of C-CDs had significant inhibitory effects on wheat growth; C-CDs had significant toxic effects on (S. aureus) at specific concentrations and were light-related; meanwhile, at concentrations of 1–5000 μg/mL, C-CDs were almost not toxic to HeLa cells; however, when irradiated at 365 nm, even low concentrations of C-CDs were toxic to cells by the mechanism that C-CDs could generate singlet oxygen (1O2) by photocatalytic oxidation under 365 nm excitation light, resulting in enhanced toxicity of C-CDs to cells.

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disease that shows a high incidence in older individuals, is becoming increasingly prevalent. Unfortunately, there is no clinical cure for PD, and novel anti-PD drugs are therefore urgently required. However, the selective permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) poses a huge challenge in the development of such drugs. Fortunately, through strategies based on the physiological characteristics of the BBB and other modifications, including enhancement of BBB permeability, nanotechnology can offer a solution to this problem and facilitate drug delivery across the BBB. Although nanomaterials are often used as carriers for PD treatment, their biological activity is ignored. Several studies in recent years have shown that nanomaterials can improve PD symptoms via their own nano-bio effects. In this review, we first summarize the physiological features of the BBB and then discuss the design of appropriate brain-targeted delivery nanoplatforms for PD treatment. Subsequently, we highlight the emerging strategies for crossing the BBB and the development of novel nanomaterials with anti-PD nano-biological effects. Finally, we discuss the current challenges in nanomaterial-based PD treatment and the future trends in this field. Our review emphasizes the clinical value of nanotechnology in PD treatment based on recent patents and could guide researchers working in this area in the future.

Highlights: Strategies for crossing the blood–brain barrier and the nano-biological effects of nanomaterials used for anti-Parkinsonian therapy are summarized. Patents related to nanotechnology-based anti-Parkinsonian therapy are reviewed, and the status of progress in this field are discussed. Current challenges in nanotechnology-based Parkinson's disease treatment are discussed, with insights into the future trends in this field. Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disease that shows a high incidence in older individuals, is becoming increasingly prevalent. Unfortunately, there is no clinical cure for PD, and novel anti-PD drugs are therefore urgently required. However, the selective permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) poses a huge challenge in the development of such drugs. Fortunately, through strategies based on the physiological characteristics of the BBB and other modifications, including enhancement of BBB permeability, nanotechnology can offer a solution to this problem and facilitate drug delivery across the BBB. Although nanomaterials are often used as carriers for PD treatment, their biological activity is ignored. Several studies in recent years have shown that nanomaterials can improve PD symptoms via their own nano-bio effects. In this review, we first summarize the physiological features of the BBB and then discuss the design of appropriate brain-targeted delivery nanoplatforms for PD treatment. Subsequently, we highlight the emerging strategies for crossing the BBB and the development of novel nanomaterials with anti-PD nano-biological effects. Finally, we discuss the current challenges in nanomaterial-based PD treatment and the future trends in this field. Our review emphasizes the clinical value of nanotechnology in PD treatment based on recent patents and could guide researchers working in this area in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]