nano-ICG

Nano-ICG refers to nanoparticle formulations of indocyanine green (ICG), a near-infrared tricarbocyanine dye approved by the FDA for clinical use. Nanoformulation of ICG is designed to overcome limitations of free ICG, such as rapid degradation, short half-life, poor photostability, and lack of tumor specificity. By encapsulating or conjugating ICG within various nanocarriers—including polymers, liposomes, micelles, dendrimers, proteins (e.g., ferritin), inorganic materials (e.g., gold or magnetic nanoparticles), and hybrid systems—nano-ICG achieves enhanced stability in vivo and improved tumor targeting through passive accumulation or active targeting strategies. The primary mechanism involves fluorescence imaging for diagnostic purposes and photothermal/photodynamic therapy upon near-infrared irradiation; this enables both precise cancer imaging and targeted ablation of tumor cells via heat generation and reactive oxygen species production. Nano-ICG is under investigation primarily for cancer theranostics but also has potential applications in other fields such as cardiovascular disease diagnostics[3][5][6][7][8].

Other names

indocyanine green nanoparticlesICG-NPsICG-based nanocarrierICG-loaded nanoparticles