Prospects for the application of water-soluble derivatives of light fullerenes in medicine.

Abstract

One of the most promising areas for the use of fullerenes and their derivatives is biology and medicine. This is due to the fact that fullerenes are highly reactive due to the presence of double bonds capable of attaching various radicals, and demonstrate high antioxidant activity, the ability to penetrate through the lipid bilayer, and modulate transmembrane ion transport. The review considers the main biological properties of water-soluble derivatives of light fullerenes, which determine their application in biomedicine.