Browsing by Author "Anju, S"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
  • Item
    Biomedical applications of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs)
    (Synthetic Metals, 2021-01) Anju, S; Mohanan, PV
    Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are an emerging class of 2D materials with fascinating properties suitable for various applications that span from material science, electronics, opto-electronics to even biomedical technology. Structurally, TMDCs comprises of a transition metal atom belonging to group 4–7 (Ti, V, Cr, Tc, Hf, Ta, W, Mn, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Re) covalently modified to chalcogens (S, Se, and Te) in a trigonal prismatic orientation. Easiness of exfoliation and possible surface modifications marks the efficacy of these materials for various applications. Even though they are potent candidate materials in electronics and opto-electronics, the recently upgraded biomedical applications sound fascinating with unlimited access. A relatively high photothermal coefficient makes them suitable for dual model cancer therapy. The massive surface area to volume ratio of TMDC nanosheets suggests the suitability for enhanced drug loading and targeted sustainable drug release. Bone regeneration scaffolds made of TMDC compounds showed enhanced mechanical strength, which holds them as promising materials for tissue engineering scaffold designing and 3D printing. Various imaging guided therapies such as PET, SPECT, MRI, CT, and PA imaging are possible without invasive ionizing radiations using TMDC materials. All these existing vast possibilities always left behind the signs of mandatory toxicity profiling. Therefore, with proper safety evaluation and biocompatibility assessment, TMDCs can be suggested as promising materials for various futuristic biomedical applications.
  • Item
    Black phosphorous, a prospective graphene substitute for biomedical applications
    (Materials Science & Engineering C, 2019-01) Anju, S; Ashtami, J; Mohanan, PV
    2D materials have gained spectacular status across various scientific and technological disciplines owing to their exceptional unique properties. The very recent member of 2D family, Black Phosphorus monolayers, known as Phosphorene have attracted recent scientific attention since its first exfoliation and appreciable rediscovery in 2014. Compared to other 2D materials and graphene analogs, it has outstanding properties like tunable band gap, good carrier mobility, excellent ON-OFF current ratio, potent in vivo biocompatibility and non-toxic biodegradability. Although the outlook of this material seems to be a promising candidate for future biomedical technology, its practical applications are still highly challenging. Unveiling those challenges by proper characterization and functionalization makes this material a mile stone for future theranostic and biomedicine scenario. This review has given precise attention to familiarize with the unique fundamental properties of black phosphorus, which makes it an excellent platform for future biomedical applications. Also underlines various synthesis procedures applicable for BP nanosheets and quantum dot synthesis. Its various biomedical applications including biosensors, cancer therapy, imaging and photothermal/photo acoustic/photodynamic therapy, drug delivery, neuronal regeneration, 3D printing scaffold etc., are subsequently reviewed. Furthermore this review briefly focused on the toxicity of this emerging material.
  • Item
    Complicity of degradable polymers in health-care applications
    (Materials Today Chemistry, 2020-01) Anju, S; Prajitha, N; Sukanya, VS; Mohanan, PV
    Polymeric biomaterials have revolutionized biomedical technology and related fields as biomaterials for health-care applications. Recent trend in polymeric medical technology has adapted a tendency to substitute degradable polymers instead of non-degradable synthetic polymers for the advancement of various health-care modalities. They have got considerable attention for their potential in various interdisciplinary arenas, which implies tissue engineering scaffolds, sustainable drug release, delivery agents, regenerative medicine, and development of life-saving devices, implants, dental products as well as in food technology. Various types of degradable polymers are been developed to date having stringent features applicable for various aspects in modern science. Thus, being the most renovative field of biomedicine and biomedical technology degradable polymers has gained substantial acceptance and appreciation recent times. This review critically underlines various degradative polymers and their subtypes, potential applications, types of degradation, and their possible effects in the biological system. Assessment of possible toxicological risks behind is an important criterion to be focused before validating any biomaterial safe for biomedical applications. Therefore various toxicological assessment strategies and their impact in biomedicine and technology were also included. In addition, the risk versus benefit assessment is also critically summarized.
  • Item
    Conformity of dextrancoated fullerene C70 with L929 fibroblast cells. Colloids and Surfaces
    (B: Biointerfaces, 2019-12) Ashtami, J; Anju, S; Mohanan, PV
    Fullerene C70 with symmetric nanostructure and unique properties that open up leeway for both material science and healthcare applications. Poor water dispersity and limited knowledge about its associated toxicity hinders the biomedical scope of C70. These restraining factors need to be addressed. Dextran, natural and water-soluble polymer was used to improve the dispersity of C70 in water. Dextran coating on C70 successfully yielded stable dispersion of C70 in water with remarkable cytocompatibility with L929 fibroblast cells. The dextran-coated C70 was characterized using different characterization techniques such as fourier transformed-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transition electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential. The cell viability assays suggested that the L929 cells retained more than 80% cell viability after 24 h treatment with dextran-coated C70. The mitochontrial membrane potential of the treated cells were found to be uncompromised. Fluorescent imaging techniques done with the aim of evaluating the integrity of lysosomes detected no potential toxicity in L929 cells treated with dextran-coated C70. Actin filaments showed intact organelles when viewed using Rhodamine- phalloidin staining after 24 h post-treatment. DAPI staining also revealed the integrity of nucleus after exposure to dextran-coated C70. The calcein AM/PI flow cytometry analysis further confirmed that dextran-coated C70 kept cell viability of treated cells above 80% for all concentrations. The results points out the scope of dextran-coated C70 for various health care applications.
  • Item
    Effect of Surface Modified Fullerene C70 on the ROS Production and Cellular Integrity Using Chinese Hamster Ovarian Cells
    (General Chemistry, 2019-11) Anju, S; Ashtami, J; Mohanan, PV
    Fullerene, a distinct buckyball structured carbon allotrope, has immense popularity among various scientific disciplines. Comparing various fullerene allotropes, recent attention is focused on C70 fullerene owing to it potent applications in various interdisciplinary arenas including optoelectronics, photovoltaics as well as in biomedical technology. Although C70 suggests as a tunable material in biomedicine, con-vincing results about its toxic effects are still under controversy, which recommends the necessity for proper toxicity evaluation. Dextran polysaccharide was effectively coated on C70 to overcome the poor dispersion in water and for achieving proper stabilization. The as-prepared material was further characterized using various sophisticated techniques such as DLS, TEM, FTIR and zeta potential. Chinese Hamster Ovarian cell lines (CHO) served as the subject for major experiments. Various cytotoxicity assays and DCFH-DA probe ROS scavenging analysis were done. Morphological examinations of major sub-cellular organelles were carried out with the aid of fluorescent microscopy for nuclear condensation, mitochondrial membrane potential, lysosomal integrity, cytoskeletal integrity, etc. Flow cytometric FACS analysis for possible apoptosis-necrosis mediated cell death assessment and DNA ladder experiment for genotoxicity was done. Cell viability assays show up to 80% live CHO cells after dextran-coated C70 treatment for 24 h. The fluorescent staining results that confirm intact or-ganelles further prove the non-toxic nature of dextran-coated C70. DNA laddering assay results ex-clude chances for genotoxic potential of dextran-coated C70. Experimental results of the present study indicate that dextran stabilized C70 fullerene is a potent candidate material for futuristic healthcare ap-plications.
  • Item
    Impact of Nanoparticles in Balancing the Ecosystem
    (Biointerface Research in applied Chemistry, 2021-06) Anju, S; Mohanan, PV
    Nanotechnology has contributed enormous breakthroughs in various scientific and engineering disciplines, from basic researches to advanced product development. Rapid advancements in nanotechnology have accomplished a great quantum leap in the areas of medicine, environment, agriculture, and renewable energy. As a result, there has been a growing interest to substitute conventional materials with nanomaterials in almost all scientific disciplines globally. This economic success has left behind the possibilities of critical adverse effects these materials can impart to the environment and its dependants. Several debates were ongoing worldwide on the effect of nanoparticle released metal ions and their subsequent toxicological impacts. It’s been anticipated that the increased application of nanoparticles will lead to abrupt unchecked emission of the same into various environmental strata. Therefore, despite these emerging advancements, the potential adverse effects these nanotechnological researchers can put forward also need a thorough investigation. This review article has highlighted the currently employed applications of engineered nanoparticles in agriculture technology and environmental restoration, adverse effects of its exposure to environmental flora and fauna, ecosystem toxicity, and related issues.
  • Item
    Organ distribution and biological compatibility of surfacefunctionalized reduced graphene oxide
    (Nanotechnology, 2020-01) Cherian, RS; Anju, S; Paul, W; Sabareeswaran, A; Mohanan, PV
    Graphene is an sp2 hybridized allotrope of carbon with a honeycomb lattice structure that has many applications in biomedicine owing to its unique physico-chemical properties. Graphene has attracted much interest from scientists for its biomedical potential, including in drug/gene delivery, fluorescent labeling of target analytes, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and MRI contrast enhancement. However, there are very limited data available concerning the toxicity of graphene, and efforts have been made to study the bio-nano interactions of Pluronic functionalized reduced graphene oxide (rGO-P) in animal models. The present study aimed to evaluate the systemic toxicity of rGO-P and its ability to cross the blood–brain barrier in Swiss Albino mice subject to acute exposure to 10 mg kg−1 body weight of rGO-P. Prolonged exposure was evaluated in female Wistar rats by analyzing feto-placental transmission and any associated developmental neurotoxicity after intravenous administration of 5 mg kg−1 and 10 mg kg−1 body weight of rGO-P. Biodistribution analysis using confocal Raman mapping indicated that tiny amounts of rGO-P accumulated in major organs of both dams and pups, with no evident toxic response. The accumulation of rGO-P in various tissues of rat pups born to treated dams is ample evidence of feto-placental transmission. The present study clearly suggests that rGO-P is not toxic under any of the experimental conditions. These findings can therefore be carried forward for application of rGO-P in drug/gene delivery, early diagnosis and treatment of various diseases in neonates and adults. The results of the study show that rGO-P is an auspicious and promising material for future healthcare applications.
  • Item
    Solvothermal exfoliation assisted synthesis of transition metal dichalcogenide based tungsten disulphide quantum dots (WS2 QDs) and cellular QD-bio interaction in LN-229 human glioblastoma cells
    (Materials Science & Engineering B, 2022-10) Anju, S; Mohanan, PV
    WS2 is a typical TMDC candidate which marked a great sensation due to its similar characteristics with that of graphene. In the present study, highly cyan green emissive and excellent water dispersive WS2 QDs were prepared via top down strategy by solvothermal liquid exfoliation method using NMP solvent. The optical and physico-chemical characteristics of WS2 QDs was investigated systematically. The resultant WS2 QDs exhibit stable fluorescence (λmax = 500 nm), spherical morphology with a uniform thickness of ∼4nm. Moreover, the synthesised QDs exhibit a size-dependant photoluminescence in the wide visible region. Under 365 nm longer wavelength UV illumination, bright cyan green fluorescence was visualised due to excellent quantum confinement effect. XRD analysis revealed the efficient exfoliation potential of the material via this synthesis route. The as synthesised WS2 QDs exhibits excellent properties such as stable aqueous dispersion, extreme low cytotoxicity as well as photoluminescent properties, which makes them suitable candidates for optoelectronic and biological applications. Cellular interaction mediated cytotoxic response was evaluated by MTT assay in LN-229 human glioblastoma cells with a wide ranging concentrations and confirmed the non-destructive status of these QDs in biological subjects. The results from the study also confirm the potential of WS2 QDs to be used as probes for real-time optical cellular imaging and further in vivo trajectory imaging studies.