Catalytic Nanomedicine: Antioxidant Action and Clinical Benefits Using Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of various chronic diseases by driving inflammation, cellular damage, and metabolic dysfunction. The imbalance between reactive oxy-gen species (ROS) production and antioxidant defenses contributes to neurodegenerative, cardi-ovascular, and inflammatory disorders, highlighting the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies. In this context, catalytic nanomedicine has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate oxidative damage through nanocatalysts that mimic enzymatic antioxidant activity. This review explores recent advances in antioxidant nanocatalysts, particularly metal oxide nanoparticles such as cerium oxide, emphasizing their biochemical mechanisms, therapeutic applications, and potential for clinical translation. This nanomaterial has demonstrated the ability to modulate redox homeostasis, reduce inflammatory markers, and preserve cellular integrity in preclinical models. Moreover, multifunctional nanocatalysts offer advantages such as enhanced stability, tunable catalytic activity, and the potential for targeted delivery, making them compelling candi-dates for precision medicine. However, despite their potential, significant challenges remain, parti-cularly concerning biocompatibility, long-term safety, and large-scale production. Further re-search is needed to optimize physicochemical properties, improve bioavailability, and ensure regulatory compliance. Therefore, addressing these limitations is essential to accelerate the trans-lation of experimental findings into clinical practice, paving the way for advanced nano-therapies with extensive biomedical applications that utilize catalytic mechanisms to modulate redox balance.