Metallic nanoparticles in malaria treatment: advances in therapeutics, diagnostics, and future prospects

Abstract Malaria remains one of the causes of extreme mortality in southern Africa and Southeast Asia. Despite extreme efforts to control and eliminate malaria, the appearance of drug-resistant parasites and their spread is a major concern. In this context various therapeutic, diagnostics, and technological advancements need to be studied and implemented in the near future. Nanoparticles have a crucial role in enhancing intracellular retention, subcellular target specificity, and even drug escape from intracellular enzymatic inactivation. Additionally, the selectivity and specificity of anti-malarial against the target were increased by the functionalization of nanoparticles, which led to improved safety and efficacy. Recent studies show the efficacy of metallic nanoparticles against the vector Anopheles mosquito and the malaria parasite Plasmodium species. So, here in the present review, we will discuss the various metal-based nanoparticles that have been studied for malaria treatment or used for the development of detection and diagnosis between the year 2013 and till date. This review also covers the future prospects of these nanoparticles in this field.