Scientists develop nanorods from aspirin for cataract treatment

Scientists from Institute of Na Science and Techlogy (INST) have developed narods from aspirin for treating cataracts in a n-invasive and ecomical way.

"This easy to use and low-cost alternative nsurgical treatment method will benefit patients in developing countries who cant access expensive cataract treatments and surgeries," according to an official statement.

research has been published in Journal of Materials Chemistry B.

Cataract is a major form of blindness that occurs when structure of crystallin proteins that make up lens in our eyes deteriorates, causing damd or disorganised proteins to aggregate and form a milky blue or brown layer, which ultimately affects lens transparency.

Thus, prevention of formation of se aggregates as well as ir destruction in early st of disease progression is a major treatment strategy for cataracts, and materials that can carry out this task could make cataract prevention affordable and accessible.

scientists from INST, Punjab, an institute under Department of Science and Techlogy, have used anti-aggregation ability of self-build aspirin narods as an effective n-invasive small molecule-based narapeutics against cataract.

Aspirin narods prevent aggregation of crystallin protein and various peptides derived from its fragmentation, which play a crucial role in cataract formation.

As with aging and under various conditions, lens protein crystallin aggregates to form opaque structures in eye lens, which impairs vision and causes cataract.

targeted disaggregation of accumulated alpha-crystallin protein and crystallin derived peptide aggregates in d and cataractous human lenses are considered as a viable rapeutic strategy for prevention of cataract formation.

aspirin narods are produced using process of molecular self-assembly, which is a low-cost and high-yield technique to generate aspirin narods as compared to high cost and laborious physical methods generally used for synsis of naparticles.

Many natural compounds have alrey been reported as potential aggregation inhibitors for crystallin aggregation, but utility of nsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin in this direction will open a new parigm.

In dition, aspirin narods, due to ir na-size, will enhance bio-availability, improve drug loing, and lower toxicity. "Hence, delivery of aspirin narods as eye drops is going to serve as an effective and viable option to treat cataract n-invasively,” statement ded. 

(Im: Rep/Unsplash)