Indian scientists found NanoTechnology for Cataract (मोतियबिंद), no Operation required
Indian scientists have invented a low cost preventive alternative nonsurgical treatment method to prevent Cataract (मोतियबिंद)—a common eye problem in people above 50. The preventive treatment through effective nanorods developed by Indian scientists may help nearly 70 lakh Cataract patients who otherwise have to undergo costly and sensitive Cataract eye surgery.
The scientists have developed nanorods from a very popular medicine Aspirin drug which is a common pain killer medicine in India used to cure fever or inflammation. The nanorods derived from this cheapest medicine have been found to be effective, non-invasive based on molecule-based nanotherapeutics against cataract.
The technology they sed is used low-cost material with high yield, derived from aspirin as compared to the existing costly and laborious physical methods used for the synthesis of nanoparticles.
A team of scientists from the Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST) an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India have found that the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) Aspirin is very cost-effective treatment against cataract.
In their research published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry B, the scientists from INST said nanorods derived from Aspirin could help in preventing cataracts in an economical and less complicated way. The scientists used the anti-aggregation ability of these aspirin nanorods as an effective and non–invasive small technology against the cataract.
heir research said that Aspirin nanorods would prevent the formation of crystallin protein and various peptides derived from its fragmentation, which would play a crucial role in cataract formation.
Cataract basically is a major form of blindness that occurs due to milky blue or brown layers in our eyes affecting lens transparency. It causes partial or maybe full blindness if not treated properly.
The layer occurs when the structure of crystallin proteins that make up the lens in our eyes deteriorates, causing damaged or disorganised proteins. The normal strategy is to prevent the formation of these aggregates as well as their destruction in the early stage of disease progression. This treatment strategy for cataracts can carry out this task could make cataract prevention affordable and accessible.
According to their research paper, the nanorods prevents protein and peptide growth through biomolecular interactions. It actually converts these peptides, responsible for amyloid formation into coils and helices.
These were found to prevent cataract formation by preventing the growth of crystallin, and crystallin derived peptide. As with ageing and under various conditions, the lens protein crystallin aggregates to form opaque structures in the eye lens, which impairs vision and cause cataract.
The targeted stoppage of the accumulated alpha-crystallin protein and crystallin derived peptide increases in aged and cataractous human lenses is found to be a viable therapeutic strategy for the prevention of cataract formation.
The scientists produced these aspirin nanorods using the process of molecular self-assembly to generate the aspirin nanorods as compared to the existing costly laborious physical methods generally used for the synthesis of nanoparticles.
Computational studies based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate the molecular mechanism of aspirin’s anti-aggregation behaviour and the nature of protein (peptide)-inhibitor interactions between the synthetic peptides and aspirin. It was observed that the peptide-aspirin (inhibitor) interactions eventually transformed peptides secondary structures from beta-turns, those are responsible for the formation of the amyloid, into various coils and helixes, preventing its formation.
These simulations revealed aspirin’s ability to act as a potential inhibitor towards amyloid-like fibril formation by the model cataract peptides.
Many natural compounds have already been reported as potential aggregation inhibitors for crystallin aggregation, but the utility of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin in this direction will open a new paradigm. In addition, aspirin nanorods due to their nano-size will enhance the bioavailability, improve drug loading, lower toxicity, etc. Hence, the delivery of the aspirin nanorods as eye drops is going to serve as an effective and viable option to treat cataract non-invasively.
This easy to use and low-cost alternative nonsurgical treatment method will benefit patients in developing countries who cannot access expensive cataract treatments and surgeries.
Nanorods
In nanotechnology, nanorods are one morphology of nanoscale objects. Each of their dimensions ranges from 1-100 nanometre. They may be synthesized from metals or semiconducting materials. Standard aspect ratios (length divided by width) are 3-5. Nanorods are produced by direct chemical synthesis. A combination of lingands act as shape control agents and bond to different facets of the nanorod with different strengths. This allows different faces of the nanorod to grow at different rates, producing an elongated object.
What is Cataract?
We have a natural lens in our eyes. The lens bends (refracts) light rays that come into the eye to help us see. The lens should be clear, but if you have cataract your lens has become cloudy, like the bottom lens in the illustration. It is like looking through a foggy or dusty car windshield. Things look blurry, hazy or less colorful with a cataract.
Its common symptoms are having blurry vision, seeing double, being extra sensitive to light, having trouble seeing well at night, or needing more light when you read, and finally seeing bright colours as faded or yellow instead.
Its causes
A cataract is common among 50 + people. It is due to normal eye changes which starts at 40. That is when normal proteins in the lens start to break down and it causes the lens to get cloudy. People over age 50 usually start to have some clouding of their lenses. However, vision problems may not happen until years later.
How to slow down the development of cataracts
Protecting your eyes from sunlight is the best way to do this. Wear sunglasses that screen out the sun's ultraviolet (UV) light rays. You may also wear regular eyeglasses that have a clear, anti-UN.
Publication details:
Bisht, A., Sharma, M., Sharma, S., Ali, M. E., & Panda, J. J. (2019). Carrier-free self-built aspirin nanorods as anti-aggregation agents towards alpha-crystallin-derived peptide aggregates: potential implications in non-invasive cataract therapy. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 7(44), 6945-6954.
For further details, Dr. Jiban Jyoti Panda (jyoti@inst.ac.in) can be contacted.)
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