TABLE 1.
Toxic effects of nanotherapeutics approved by FDA for clinical use.
| Nanoparticle-based drugs | Application | Toxic/adverse effects observed |
| Abelcet (liposome) | Antifungal, cryptococcal meningitis in HIV | Anaphylaxis |
| Abraxane (albumin) | Metastatic breast cancer | Myelosuppression, sepsis, pneumonitis, and fetal harm |
| Adagen (polymeric NPs) Monomethoxypolyethylene glycol succinimidyl) | SCID, support therapy for bone marrow transplantation | Due to shortage of API |
| Adynovate (PEGylation) | Hemophilia A | Inhibitor formation and hypersensitivity reactions |
| AmBIsome (liposome) | Antifungal/protozoal infections | Elderly patients and hepatic impairment is known |
| Avinza (nanocrystal) | Sever pain | Addiction, fatal respiratory depression, and neonatal problem |
| Caelyx® (liposome) | Opportunistic infections and coinfections, and HIV patient secondary infection | Dermal lesions primarily on the feet and legs |
| Cimzia® or certolizumab pegol (BSA) (PEGylated) | Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, plaque psoriasis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis | Tuberculosis (TB), bacterial sepsis, and invasive fungal infections |
| Copaxone (polymer NPs) | Relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis | Chest pain, lipoatrophy, and skin necrosis |
| Cremophor® EL (PEG) | Cancer | Hypersensitivity reactions and cardiac arrest |
| Curosurf (liposome) | Respiratory distress syndrome | Acute changes in lung compliance |
| Cynviloq (PEG-PDLLA) | Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) | Data still not available |
| DaunoXome (Liposome) | HIV-related kaposi sarcoma | Cardiac function, severe myelosuppression, and hepatotoxicity |
| DepoCyt (liposomal cytarabine) | Lymphomatous meningitis | Cauda equina syndrome, visual disturbances, and arachnoiditis |
| DepoDur (liposomal) | Pain (postoperative analgesic) | Increased sensitivity in elderly, hepatic, and renal failure in compromised patient |
| Eligard [polylactide-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)] | Advanced prostate cancer | Irritation and erythema, ureteral obstruction, and/or spinal cord compression, increase testosterone |
| Estrasorb (micelles) | Vasomotor symptoms due to menopause | Endometrial cancer, cardiovascular disorders, breast cancer, and probable dementia |
| Feraheme (iron oxide NPs) | Iron deficiency anemia | Constipation, diarrhea, edema, hypotension, anaphylactic-like reactions, and hypotension |
| Feridex (iron oxide NP) | Advanced prostate cancer, magnetic resonance imaging contrast | Anaphylactic-like reactions and hypotension |
| GastroMARK (iron oxide nanoparticles) | Magnetic resonance imaging contrast | As made earlier not recommended for iron supplementation |
| Genexol-PM (poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-lactide) (PEG-PDLLA) | Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) | Data still not available |
| Krystexxa® (PEGylated) | Gout | Gout flares and infusion-related reactions (IRs), serious allergic reactions |
| Macugen (polymeric NPs) | Neovascular AMD | Endophthalmitis |
| Mircera® or Methoxy PEGepoetin | Anemia associated with chronic kidney disease | Myocardial infarction, stroke, venous thromboembolism, thrombosis of vascular access and tumor progression or recurrence, hypertension |
| Myocet and DaunoXome (liposomal) | Anticancer | Neutropenic fever, sepsis, stomatitis, alopecia, and bone marrow suppression |
| Oncaspar (PEGasparaginase) | Acute lymphoblastic leukemia | Pancreatitis, anaphylaxis, glucose intolerance, and coagulopathy |
| Plegridy® (Biogene) (PEG) | Relapsing multiple sclerosis | Thrombotic microangiopathy |
| Tricor (nanocrystal) | Hyperlipidemia | Liver problems, breathing problems, abdominal pain, muscle problems, and nausea |
| Vitoss (nanocrystal) | Bone void filler | No data |