Scientists from the Southern Federal University found that fullerenes (unique nanoparticles consisting of 20 or more carbon atoms) can be used in drug delivery, as well as in complex treatments such as the treatment of alcoholic neuropathy (nerve damage due to alcoholism). SFU told socialbites.ca about this.
In 2012, French scientists found that fullerene C60 could almost double the lifespan of mice. But this experience could no longer be reproduced. SFU scientists found that the problem may be in the metabolites of bacteria living in the gastrointestinal tract of mice: some increase the bioavailability of fullerene, while others reduce it.
SFU scientists added surfaceactin to fullerenes, a substance produced by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis (bacillus subtilis). This provided unexpected opportunities. Surfactin has proven to be an effective tool in increasing the bioavailability of fullerenes, which penetrate cell membranes more easily.
“The use of surfactin to dissolve fullerenes in water is the key to our research. This bacterial metabolite not only dissolves the nanoparticles, but also allows them to be better absorbed by the body. For living cells, surfactin is the key to bioavailability,” SFU senior researcher Sergei Emelyantsev told socialbites.ca. It turned out to be significantly less toxic than traditional chemical solvents, which opened up new prospects for us.
The possibility of using a mixture of fullerenes and surfactin has opened broad prospects for the use of nanoparticles.
“The prospects are great: from targeted drug delivery to use in photodynamic therapy and as a sorbent. We can expect significant breakthroughs in the treatment of many diseases in the future,” says Emelyantsev.
Scientists plan to use fullerenes developed specifically to treat alcoholic neuropathy.
However, despite the promising results, scientists are cautious in their conclusions. The safety issue, especially the possible accumulation of fullerenes in the liver during intravenous administration, has not yet been resolved. If this problem can be overcome, fullerenes may open new horizons in medicine by changing approaches to the treatment of many diseases.
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Source: Gazeta

Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.