Advances in antioxidant nanozymes for biomedical applications

Antioxidant nanozymes have garnered significant attention due to their high stability, ease of modification, and low cost, which overcome the limitations of natural enzymes. Although there have been several reviews on the research field of nanozymes, a systematic review of antioxidant nanozymes remains absent. In this review, the research progress of representative nanomaterials with simulated antioxidant activity for biomedical applications is firstly presented in three main categories: inorganic-, MOF- and organic-based, and their superiority and limitations are summarized. Additionally, the catalytic mechanisms and kinetics of antioxidant enzymes proposed in experimental and theoretical studies are systematically summarized. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms will facilitate the design of newer and more efficient antioxidant nanozymes. Then, common strategies to enhance therapeutic efficacy are presented to provide readers with ideas for further research on rational design of antioxidant nanozymes. Furthermore, the research progress on biomedical applications of antioxidant nanozymes is also reviewed systematically. Finally, current challenges are discussed and future research directions are proposed.