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Model Organisms to Study Biological Activities and Toxicity of Nanoparticles pp 19–34Cite as

Biological Activities of Nanoparticles and Mechanism of Action

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Abstract

This chapter covers nanoparticles (NPs) of gold, silver, zinc oxide, copper oxide, zirconium oxide, iron oxide, and yttrium oxide, which have been recently used for antimicrobial and anticancer activity with plausible mechanism for their activity. Eco-friendly syntheses of smart metal NPs (size, shape, and morphology controlled NPs with desired modifications) through a bottom-up approach have greater selectivity and biological activity toward targeted cells without any harm to the normal cells. Selectivity is the key feature of NPs that makes possible the future use of NPs as replacements for drugs in biomedical applications. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which causes damage to cell components and membrane, interaction of released metal ions with proteins causes inhibition of enzymes activity and physiological processes, and nonoxidative mechanism are the major proposed mechanisms behind antimicrobial and anticancer activity of metal NPs which results in cell apoptosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Karan Chaudhary & Dhanraj T. Masram

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  1. Karan Chaudhary
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  2. Dhanraj T. Masram
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India

    Busi Siddhardha

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India

    Madhu Dyavaiah

  3. Materials Research Group, iThemba LABS-National Research Fond., Cape Town, South Africa

    Kaviyarasu Kasinathan

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Chaudhary, K., Masram, D.T. (2020). Biological Activities of Nanoparticles and Mechanism of Action. In: Siddhardha, B., Dyavaiah, M., Kasinathan, K. (eds) Model Organisms to Study Biological Activities and Toxicity of Nanoparticles. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1702-0_2

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