Graphene sheets for drug release

Graphene is one of the thinnest and strongest known materials and has been used in drug delivery before. Scientists from Australia recently discovered that the sheets of graphene oxide, which have a honeycomb structure 100 times stronger than steel at just one atom thick, can form liquid crystal droplets that change structure in an external magnetic field. This change in structure could help deliver drugs by initiating a targeted release.

Drug delivery systems tend to use magnetic particles which are very effective but they can't always be used because these particles can be toxic in certain physiological conditions. In contrast, graphene doesn't contain any magnetic properties. This combined with the fact that it can be changed into liquid crystal simply and cheaply, strengthens the prospect that it may one day be used for a new kind of drug delivery system.

This spontaneous state change makes it so that advanced equipment such as atomizers aren't needed for the transformation--but by simply placing the graphene in a certain solution, the material acts like a polymer without that intervention.

Finally, the researchers found that when they used F8-IL4 and dexamethasone separately, they could only slow down the disease progression in mice. However, when F8-IL4 was used in combination with dexamethasone, it was able to cure mice with established collagen-induced arthritis. The symptoms of mice, such as swelling of the toes and claws could completely disappear in a few days.

In the mouse model, this combination therapy can bring a long-lasting cure effect. Based on the results of previous feasibility studies on animal models, the researchers are now preparing clinical trials for this novel compound in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers hope that this research can provide help and hope to develop new therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.

Like the tiny organelles used to propel some bacteria, artificial cilia developed by German engineers could someday help deliver drugs.

Researchers have built nano-sized reproductions of natural cilia such as the ones in the human respiratory system that keep harmful pathogens from affecting lung function. These artificial cilia can be used to improve delivery by "pushing" particles along in a targeted manner.

However, getting the cilia to move in an organized way was a challenge. The researchers attached a unidirectional switch that directs each cilium to beat in a certain way in order to make them more uniformly effective. The team also put a molecular "suction cup" on each cilium that would help it adhere to drug delivery vehicles, particularly those made with gold nanoparticles.

These artificial cilia come together to form sheets that resemble epithelium layers found in nature. These could, like their natural counterparts, help carry drugs through the bloodstream to a targeted site.

Numerologist Warda is hooked on OG-L002 fishing, collecting. And lastly her encouragement comes from socializing along with her companions.