title: Dendrimers--revolutionary drugs for infectious diseases.
abstract: Over recent years innovative nanomolecules in a form of dendrimers have been gaining increasing interest. These compounds can be designed and modified in many ways giving a molecule which meets required expectations. For this reason dendrimers are the object of intensive studies in many fields of nanoscience including one of the most thriving--biomedicine. Numerous studies provide evidence that some dendrimers exhibit activities against many species/strains of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and prions. These types of dendritic nanostructures which are distinguished by antipathogenic properties and low cytotoxicity to eukaryotic cells may be potentially applied in medicine as novel drugs for various infectious diseases, especially those which are persistent, marked by high mortality rate, or untreatable. Dendrimers can exert their effect via different mechanisms of action, which are, in most cases, related to multivalency of the nanomolecule. The application of dendrimers is likely to be a breakthrough in prevention and treatment of infectious diseases which still beset humanity and may significantly improve the quality of people's life.
authors: Department of General Biophysics, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. joanna.lazn@gmail.com
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Lazniewska
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Milowska
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Gabryelak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D050091:Dendrimers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations