Biomedical Applications of Cellulose Nanocrystals

CNCs are becoming an important class of renewable nanomaterials with many applications in different areas, including biomedicine. A number of reviews on the bioapplications of CNCs can be found in the literature. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has listed CNCs as a Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) material. The toxicity assessment of CNCs in the microvascular endothelial cells of human brain was conducted and CNCs were found to be non-toxic to cells and therefore could be used as carriers in the targeted delivery of therapeutics. The non-toxicity of CNCs has been confirmed by interactions with rainbow trout hepatocytes and microvascular endothelial cells. The biocompatibility of CNCs has also been verified in a recent study.  

Studies on CNCs are relatively new and there are limited studies on cationic modification of CNCs. In the following, a number of biomedical applications of CNCs are discussed. Given the recent interest on cationic modification of CNCs, there have not been any specific bioapplications reported for cationic CNCs. However, the applications of CNCs in enzyme immobilization can be extended to cationic CNCs as well. 

In another study, Villanova and co-workers investigated the potentials of CNCs as co-stabilizer excipients in acrylic bead formulations prepared by suspension polymerization. The beads were used for direct compression to prepare tablets containing propranolol hydrochloride as a model drug. The safety of the CNC-containing beads was demonstrated via in vitro tests. The potentials of CNC-containing beads as an excipient in controlled release 

5CNC/0.5NPS binary and ternary systems towards BM-MSCs. (b) Uptake of NPs released by (a) PVA/O.SNPs binary and (b) PVA/0.5CNC/ O.SNPs ternary systems. 

---