Nanotechnology and diabetes
05/21/2009 6:06 a.m.
Dr. Uday Kompella, a professor recently recruited by the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Center for Health Sciences (Health Sciences Center) of the University of Colorado Denver, is applying nanotechnology to the formulation of drugs for diabetic retinopathy, putting the areaDenver at the head under diabetes research.Dr. Kompella, from the University of Nebraska, directs a research group of 10 scientists focused on new drug formulations for the treatment of eye diseases.
The process consists of mixing the drug with a specially designed polymer.The polymer chemistry must coincide with that of the drug.Although chemistry is complex, synthetic techniques are quite basic.Nanoparticles are created by bathing the dissolution of drug and polymer with energy of specific intensity and frequency.The polymer surrounds the drug to create the particles instead of mixing with it, following the same principles that keep water and oil separate.Once the particles have been created, the various solutes are eliminated through evaporation techniques and the particles meet by high -speed centrifugation.This creates tiny long -term injectable pills.Once the drug in the polymer is encapsulated, the nanoparticles can be covered with a second molecule that directs the drug towards a specific tissue.Although they must still pass several years before this technique is approved by the FDA, Dr. Kompella team members have managed to direct drugs, successfully, to the eyes of diabetic rats, using these administration systems.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness and one of the many complications that diabetics can be faced.It is estimated that 40% - 45% of diabetes patients suffer from some form of this complication.The cause of diabetic retinopathy is a high blood glucose.With the passage of time, glucose slowly swells the walls of the capillaries, making it more difficult for nutrients from blood to the interior of the tissues that need them.Since the retina is one of the most active metabolically active tissues, it needs more nutrients, being one of the first affected tissues.
A aggressive control of blood sugar levels considerably decreases the risk of this complication.The disease takes years to develop, so diabetic patients have an opportunity to modify their lifestyle to slow down and even stop the process.Once retinopathy has developed, treatments are limited.Currently, doctors use lasers to physically destroy new blood vessels and cauter them.The process slows the continuous loss of vision, but does not return the vision that has already been lost.That is why it is so important that diabetes patients undergo periodic eye reviews, in order to detect the problem in time.
The drugs that stop hair growth are still in an experimental phase;These drugs are Dr. Kompella is studying for his new formulation process.
05/21/2009 6:06 a.m.
@fer - Diabetes Tipo 1 desde 1.998 | FreeStyle Libre 3 | Ypsomed mylife YpsoPump + CamAPS FX | Sin complicaciones. Miembro del equipo de moderación del foro.
Co-Autor de Vivir con Diabetes: El poder de la comunidad online, parte de los ingresos se destinan a financiar el foro de diabetes y mantener la comunidad online activa.
This is in revenge for laughing at the "prefármacos" what do?:))
No, seriously, Fer, we thank you for hanging this news.What happens is that, when I read that scientific language, I cannot remedy it, it gives me laughter.
A hug: Oops:
05/21/2009 11:50 a.m.
It is normal that it sounds like Chinese ... They are really very avant -garde issues and that will have real application from here to a few years, I copy some references that can help to understand it.
Information about nanotechnology:
definition
Nanotechnology promises avant -garde and more efficient solutions for environmental problems, as well as many others facing humanity.Nanotechnologies promise benefits of all kinds, from new or more efficient medical applications to solutions to environmental problems and many others;However, the concept of nanotechnology is not yet well known in society.A nanometer is the thousandth part of one meter (10^(-9) meters).To understand the potential of this technology it is key to know that the physical and chemical properties of the subject change to the nanometric scale, which is due to quantum effects.Electrical conductivity, heat, resistance, elasticity, reactivity, among other properties, behave differently than in the same elements on a larger scale.
Although in current research refers to nanotechnology (in the form of molecular engines, quantum computing, etc.), it is debatable that nanotechnology is a reality today.Current progress can be described rather as nanoscience, body of knowledge that feels the foundations for the future development of a technology based on detailed manipulation of molecular structures.
05/21/2009 2:10 p.m.
@fer - Diabetes Tipo 1 desde 1.998 | FreeStyle Libre 3 | Ypsomed mylife YpsoPump + CamAPS FX | Sin complicaciones. Miembro del equipo de moderación del foro.
Co-Autor de Vivir con Diabetes: El poder de la comunidad online, parte de los ingresos se destinan a financiar el foro de diabetes y mantener la comunidad online activa.
That they go to the eyes is fine ... but they could not also go to the pancreas? ... for letting me click and such ...
05/23/2009 4:39 a.m.
Hahahaha ... it would not be bad, no ... maybe it's the usual, that laboratories are more interested in a collateral solution than to root the problem ... where would the business be if not?!;)
Greetings,
05/24/2009 7:30 a.m.
@fer - Diabetes Tipo 1 desde 1.998 | FreeStyle Libre 3 | Ypsomed mylife YpsoPump + CamAPS FX | Sin complicaciones. Miembro del equipo de moderación del foro.
Co-Autor de Vivir con Diabetes: El poder de la comunidad online, parte de los ingresos se destinan a financiar el foro de diabetes y mantener la comunidad online activa.