Effects of Carbon Nanomaterials and <i>Aloe vera</i> on Melanomas—Where Are We? Recent Updates
Elidamar Nunes de Carvalho Lima,
Guilherme Leão Barros Martins,
Ricardo Sobhie Diaz,
Mauro Schechter,
José Roberto Castilho Piqueira,
João Francisco Justo
Affiliations
Elidamar Nunes de Carvalho Lima
Telecommunication and Control Engineering Department, Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, Avenida Prof. Luciano Gualberto, Travessa 3, 158, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
Guilherme Leão Barros Martins
Telecommunication and Control Engineering Department, Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, Avenida Prof. Luciano Gualberto, Travessa 3, 158, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
Ricardo Sobhie Diaz
Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
Mauro Schechter
Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
José Roberto Castilho Piqueira
Telecommunication and Control Engineering Department, Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, Avenida Prof. Luciano Gualberto, Travessa 3, 158, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
João Francisco Justo
Electronic Systems Engineering Department, Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil
Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer that affects approximately 140,000 people worldwide each year, with a high fatality rate. Available treatment modalities show limited efficacy in more severe cases. Hence, the search for new treatment modalities, including immunotherapies, for curing, mitigating, and/or preventing cancer is important and urgently needed. Carbon nanoparticles associated with some plant materials, such as Aloe vera, have shown appealing antineoplastic activity, derived mainly from the compounds aloin, aloe-emodin, barbaloin acemannan, and octapeptide, thus representing new possibilities as antitumor agents. This systematic review aims to arouse interest and present the possibilities of using Aloe vera combined with carbon-based nanomaterials as an antineoplastic agent in the treatment and prevention of melanoma. Limitations and advances in melanoma treatment using functionalized carbon nanomaterials are discussed here. Moreover, this review provides the basis for further studies designed to fully explore the potential of carbon nanomaterials associated with Aloe vera in the treatment of various cancers, with a focus on melanoma.
