Supramolecular chemistry for nanomedicine

Abstract

Mimicking Nature, supramolecular chemistry represents the chemistry beyond the molecule, in view that intermolecular interactions constitute the driving force for the preparation of molecular and supramolecular assemblies, using the chemical information contained in molecular building blocks. Upon molecular recognition between discrete units, chemical processes such as self-assembly and self-organisation start operating, and are the leading processes to build up supramolecular aggregates and materials. When those materials have dimensions on the nanometric scale, a recently emerging scientific discipline is defined, Nanoscience. Nanomaterials are promising tools for many applications, and their use in biomedical and clinical applications defines the so-called Nanomedicine. In this review we present a few selected examples of nanomaterials designed for therapeutical purposes, emphasizing the importance of the preparation methodology in terms of their therapeutical use.