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Innovative Medicines & Omics Antioxidant nanomedicines for therapies

13. Conclusions and perspectives nanomedicine is expected to address multiple ROS-
related pathological abnormities. In addition, as ROS
Oxidative stress is a common pathogenic factor of various plays a significant role in the aging of all organs, the
diseases in almost all organs of human body. Therefore, development of antioxidant nanomedicines is expected to
antioxidant therapy is a general approach to treat these delay the process of aging. These nanomedicines are able
oxidative stress-related diseases. Such a detoxication to modulate the systemic functions of body by mitigating
strategy by ROS scavenging enables the regulation of oxidative stress in different pathological regions.
pathogenic microenvironments (especially inflammatory (v) The biosafety of antioxidative nanomedicines is
microenvironment) and activities of functional cells,
thus mitigating oxidative injury and facilitating an important issue for their application in disease
disease treatments. Recent advances in antioxidative treatment. The pharmacokinetics, biodistribution,
nanomedicines have provided feasible strategies to trigger degradation, and excretion of these nanomedicines
ROS-scavenging reactions at pathological sites, with the should be investigated comprehensively. A number
hope of enhancing the therapeutic outcomes. Several of organs such as brain and eye are highly sensitive
issues in this emerging field warrant in-depth discussion: to extrinsic chemicals, and nanoparticles may lead
(i) The overexpression of ROS in human body may be to long-term safety issues if they are not excreted
triggered by various external or internal factors, efficiently. The proper regulations of morphologies,
such as bacterial infection, immune abnormality, structures, and compositions of these nanomedicines
hypoxia, or metal ion dysregulation. Therefore, in are believed to be necessary to ensure their biosafety.
treating these diseases, both ROS scavenging and the (vi) Clinical translation is the ultimate purpose for
removal of pathological causes of ROS generation researchers in designing antioxidant nanomedicines.
are necessary (“address both symptoms and root Till now, most of the studies in this field are still in
causes”). The development of multifunctional laboratories or their preclinical stage, and future
antioxidant nanomedicines is expected to achieve efforts are needed to facilitate the application of these
the downregulation of ROS level and the blockage of nanomedicines in clinical treatment of diseases. The
ROS-generating pathways concurrently. cooperation among research institutions universities,
(ii) Almost all antioxidant molecules act as reactants in the hospitals, industrial sectors, and governments is highly
antioxidation reactions to neutralize ROS, after which desired to translate these laboratorial innovations into
they are consumed. To achieve a desirable therapeutic medical advances, which contribute to improving the
effect, administration of increased doses and/or multiple health of humans.
administrations should be made. Comparatively, As the field of antioxidative nanomedicines is
antioxidant nanocatalysts can trigger catalytic ROS- experiencing a rapid growth, it is highly anticipated that
scavenging reactions in pathological regions, during more innovative, versatile, and highly effective while
which the structures and compositions of these catalysts bio-safe antioxidant nanomedicines will be developed
are not changed, leading to a sustainable antioxidative in the future to facilitate the emergence of more feasible
therapeutic effect; therefore, lower-dose administration therapeutic strategies for combating oxidative stress-
is required, and the therapeutic efficacy will be largely related diseases.
elevated. The catalytic therapeutic strategy is promising
in future disease treatment. Acknowledgments
(iii) Numerous nanocatalysts exhibit SOD-like activities
but not catalase-like activities. However, the None.
conversion of O to H O is a pro-oxidant process, Funding
•−
2
2
2
and the oxidability of H O is higher than that of
2
2
O . Therefore, when these nanocatalysts are used We greatly acknowledge the financial support from
•−
2
in antioxidant therapy, the generated H O is still the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant
2
2
required to be consumed or scavenged, or an opposed No. 2022YFB3804500), National Natural Science
result will occur if the concentration of natural catalase Foundation of China (Grant No. 22335006, 22305260), Key
at pathological site is low. Nanocatalysts possessing Research Program of Frontier Sciences, Chinese Academy
both SOD and catalase-like activities are suggested to of Sciences (Grant No. ZDBS-LY-SLH029), Basic Research
initiate cascade antioxidation reactions to convert O Program of Shanghai Municipal Government (Grant
•−
2
into H O and further into nontoxic H O and O . No. 21JC1406000), CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical
2
2
2
2
(iv) As a large proportion of diseases are associated with Sciences (Grant No. 2021-I2M-5-012), Shanghai Rising-
oxidative stress, a single administration of antioxidant Star Program (Grant No. 23QA1410900), China National
Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 46 doi: 10.36922/imo.2527