Metal Organic Frameworks, Their Properties and Future Promises in the Medical Field

Abstract

Nanotechnology is defined as the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular level, with nanomedicine being a subdivision of nanotechnology, where nanoparticles are used in medicine often as a drug delivery vehicle or for imaging disease pathology and progression; both of which are increasingly important aspects of pharmacotherapy. Nanomedicine can (i) overcome non-selective drug delivery to undesirable sites, (ii) the pre-activation of drugs before they reach their tissue targets, (iii) early clearance by the immune system and (iv) sometimes even improve drugs pharmacokinetics at the level of drug permeability, absorption and drug distribution in tissues. In addition, nanomedicine can be used to promote a controlled and sustained drug release to the affected tissues. Several materials are being used in the preparation of the nanoparticles of which metal organic frameworks are drawing a lot of attention for the many attractive features they possess such as having; (i) well-structured crystals with high porosity, (ii) high surface area: volume ratio, (iii) high thermal and mechanical stability, (iv) large surface area allowing chemical modifications and (v) a high drug loading capacity; with the first MOF entering Phase I of the clinical trials in 2018. For all the above mentioned properties MOF are proving to be strong nanoparticle candidates in the nanomedicine field. In this chapter we will be talking about the origin of the MOF, their development, in addition we will be discussing the different MOF prototypes, their potential, the medical advances they made, the ones in clinical use and finally we will discuss the possible ways by which we can fully benefit from this highly promising nanoparticle class.