Fullerene Nanoarchitectonics against Infectious Diseases: A Review

Nanoscience is an advancing interdisciplinary field, creating a revolutionary shift across various domains of bioengineering, including biomedicine. In particular, stimuli-responsive and self-assembled nanomaterials are at the forefront of the current research arena, emphasizing their unique physicochemical properties over their macroscopic counterparts. With the advent of "Nanoarchitectonics", conventional nanomaterials are being applied as promising biomaterials in healthcare. For instance, the concept of “Nanoarchitectonics” has enabled the synthesis of increasingly complex fullerene structures to mimic the intricate architecture of biological systems, emerging as a pivotal candidates for next-generation therapeutic strategies. This allows us to develop a promising alternative nanosystem to conventional antibiotics, especially in combating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial and fungal species. Additionally, fullerenes are being actively explored for their therapeutic potential in radical scavenging and enzyme inhibition. In this regard, the review aims to elucidate the critical role of fullerenes in infectious biology, with a focus on current trends, antimicrobial therapies, and the underlying mechanisms of action. Furthermore, the challenges posed by drug-resistant pathogens, such as bacteria, fungi, and epidemic viruses, are critically examined. Existing research gaps and limitations in the current landscape of fullerene-based technologies are highlighted, along with a discussion of future directions and potential breakthroughs in the field.