Exploring the emerging trends in the synthesis and theranostic paradigms of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs): A comprehensive review

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) have come to prominence as a highly intriguing and beneficial nanomaterial in an array of biomedical and theranostic applications, including prognostic measures, diagnosis, drug administration, bio-scaffolding, bioanalysis, and therapeutics. CeONPs can catalytically interact with superoxide and hydrogen peroxide through redox cycles between Ce3+ and Ce4+ oxidation states, precisely imitating the actions of two essential antioxidant enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase. This behavior potentially mitigates the damaging intracellular ROS by employing a self-regenerating mechanism. Conventional chemical synthesis techniques employ hazardous reducing solvents, which cause several threats to the ecological environment and biodiversity. Moreover, nanoparticles produced utilizing such methods tend to be toxic and unstable, leading to reduced efficiency. There has thus been a notable shift recently towards adopting green synthesis methods that are proven to be safer and less toxic, utilizing diverse biological resources like plants, microbes, or other biological products to achieve nanoparticle synthesis. The CeONPs thus, attributing to their unique redox property can exhibit an array of prophylactic and theranostic activities, significantly contributing to the disease management strategies of major pathological disorders worldwide. This comprehensive review delves into the emerging trends in the synthesis and theranostic paradigms of CeONPs. The review highlights recent advancements in the fabrication of CeONPs with tailored properties, exploring various synthesis techniques and their impact on nanoparticle characteristics. Additionally, the pharmaceutical advancements and diagnostic potencies of CeONPs are thoroughly examined, including their biosensing capabilities, drug delivery capabilities, therapeutic potential, and biocompatibility profiles. Furthermore, the review tends to discuss the challenges and prospects associated with the clinical translation of CeONPs.