The Role of Nanoscience and Technology in Medicine and Agriculture: Awareness Implication for Health Systems and Food Safety Issues

Abstract

The problems of diseases resistance to drugs in Medicine and low productivity in Agriculture have led to alternatives for improvements in health care systems and food safety issues. Nanotechnology is currently the chosen option for preparation and delivery of human drugs, pesticides and herbicides among other applications. Agriculture and medicine are competitive in sustenance of life without one substituting the other. This review paper therefore, examined some of the positive and negative effects of nanotechnology application in life and the awareness implication. Nanoparticles (NPs) system could be used for several routes of administration including oral, nasal, parenteral, intra-ocular benefits over free antimicrobial agents. The use of nanomaterials in the production of goods and drug formulations have shown superior properties compared with their conventional counterparts, due to their distinctive nanoscale features. Nanoparticles (NPs) have also consistently been reported to decrease infection, reduce scar tissue growth, and promote bone growth among other benefits. Nanotechnology may have concrete solutions against many agriculture-related problems like insect pest management, adverse effects of chemical pesticides, development of improved crop varieties. As with any other technology, controversy surrounding nanotechnology is no exception in a heterogeneous society. The toxic effects of antimicrobial NPs on central nervous system (CNS) are still unknown, interactions of NPs with the cells and tissues in CNS were poorly understood. Again, NPs represent size-specific properties that limit the use of currently available in vitro experiments in a general way, and there was no standardized definition for NP dose in mass, number, surface area, and biological samples (e.g., blood, urine, and inside organs that guarantee safety limit). Educating and training of consumers through seminars and workshops is recommended. National governments especially in developing countries are advised to mount regulating agencies that will be responsible for awareness creation and achieving optimum utilization of new products.