Nano bubbles filled with drug may kill cancer cells: Study
Sydney, July 16 : In a step further to identify range of cancer treatments available to patients, scientists have developed drug-filled nano bubbles triggered in the body by X-rays which may help kill the malignant cells.
The tiny bubbles, known as liposomes, are commonly used in pharmacology to encapsulate drugs, making them more effective in the treatment of disease and researchers have now been able to engineer these liposomes to discharge their drug cargo on-demand, once activated by standard X-rays. Initial testing has shown this technique to be highly efficient in killing bowel cancer cells.
"The development and application of various nanomaterial designs for drug delivery is currently a key focus area in nanomedicine," said lead author Wei Deng, fro ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP), Australia.
"Liposomes are already well established as an extremely effective drug-delivery system. Made out of similar material as cell membranes, these 'bubbles' are relatively simple to prepare, can be filled with appropriate medications and then injected into specific parts of the body. The issue however, is in controlling the timely release of the drug from the liposome," Deng added.
For the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, the team embeded gold nanoparticles and the photo-sensitive molecule verteporfin into the wall of the liposome, in a laboratory setting
The X-ray radiation caused the verteporfin to react and produce highly reactive singlet oxygen which destabilisesdthe liposomal membrane, causing the release of the drug, Deng explained.
"The gold nanoparticles are added into the mix as they focus the X-ray energy. This enhances the singlet oxygen generation and hence improves the speed of the membrane breakup," she added.
The liposomes were filled with chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin, which killed the cancer cells far more effectively than without X-ray triggering
Thus, controlling the timely release of the drug from the bubble is very crucial, Deng said.
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'Sharbat jihad' row: Ramdev beyond anyone's control, lives in own world, says Delhi HC
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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Thursday said Yoga practitioner Ramdev was "not in control of anyone" and lived in his own world before finding him in prima facie contempt of its order over his controversial "sharbat jihad" remarks against Hamdard's Rooh Afza.
The court previously ordered him not to issue any statement or share videos in future over Hamdard's products.
"In view of the last order, his affidavit as well as this video are prima facie in contempt. I will issue a contempt notice now. We are just calling him here," Justice Amit Bansal said after being informed on Thursday that despite the court's April 22 directions, Ramdev published a video making objectionable statements.
"He (Ramdev) is not in control of anyone. He lives in his own world," the judge remarked.
Ramdev's counsel urged the court to take up the matter after sometime as the arguing counsel was unavailable.
The court, therefore, deferred the hearing for some time.
Hamdard National Foundation India filed a plea against Ramdev and his Patanjali Foods Ltd over the controversial remarks.
The court had on the last occasion said Ramdev's remark of "sharbat jihad" on Hamdard's Rooh Afza shook its conscience and was indefensible, prompting the Yoga guru to assure he would immediately take down the related videos and social media posts.
The counsel for Hamdard claimed while promoting Patanjali's "gulab sharbat", Ramdev alleged the money earned from Hamdard's Rooh Afza was used to build madrasas and mosques.
