*Review* **ZnO Nanostructures for Drug Delivery and Theranostic Applications**

### **Marina Martínez-Carmona 1, Yurii Gun'ko 1 and María Vallet-Regí 2,3,\***


Received: 13 March 2018; Accepted: 18 April 2018; Published: 23 April 2018

**Abstract:** In the last two decades, zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductor Quantum dots (QDs) have been shown to have fantastic luminescent properties, which together with their low-cost, low-toxicity and biocompatibility have turned these nanomaterials into one of the main candidates for bio-imaging. The discovery of other desirable traits such as their ability to produce destructive reactive oxygen species (ROS), high catalytic efficiency, strong adsorption capability and high isoelectric point, also make them promising nanomaterials for therapeutic and diagnostic functions. Herein, we review the recent progress on the use of ZnO based nanoplatforms in drug delivery and theranostic in several diseases such as bacterial infection and cancer.

**Keywords:** ZnO nanoparticles; Quantum dots; theranostic; drug delivery; anti-tumour; diabetes treatment; anti-inflammation; antibacterial; antifungal; wound healing
