A Concise Review of Carbon Dots and their Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Applications

Abstract: For the last two decades, carbon dots, a revolutionary type of carbon nanomaterial with less than 10 nm diameter, have attracted considerable research interest. CDs exhibit various physicochemical properties and favorable characteristics, including excellent water solubility, unique optical properties, low cost, eco-friendliness, an abundance of reactive surface groups, and high stability. As a result, the synthesis of CDs and their applications in pharmaceutical and related disciplines have received increasing interest. Since CDs are biocompatible and biodegradable with low toxicity, they are a promising healthcare tool. CDs are extensively employed for numerous applications to date, including theranostics, bioimaging, drug delivery, biosensing, gene delivery, cancer therapy, electrochemical biosensing, and inflammatory treatment. This comprehensive review aims to explore various synthesis methods of carbon dots, including top-down and bottom-up approaches, as well as highlight the characterization techniques employed to assess their physicochemical and biological properties. Additionally, the review delves into carbon dots' pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, showcasing their potential in drug delivery, bioimaging, diagnostics, and therapeutics.