Medications often need to reach specific sites in the body to be effective without affecting healthy tissues. How do scientists manage to precisely direct these active substances towards their target? Discover how tiny particles, resembling paper flowers or desert roses, could revolutionize targeted medication.
Flower-shaped particles: An Innovation for targeted medication
Particles used in medical research are distinguished by their resemblance to desert roses or paper flowers. Their size, varying from one to five micrometers, allows them to navigate the blood system. These particles have been designed to transport drugs directly to specific points in the human body, improving the effectiveness of treatments while reducing unwanted side effects.
A major advantage of these particles lies in their ability to absorb a large quantity of active substances thanks to their extended surface. The spaces between the petals, acting like pores, facilitate the absorption of therapeutic molecules. In addition, their unique shape also allows easy detection by ultrasound or optoacoustic imaging, thus providing doctors with real-time monitoring of drug distribution.
Research and development: the studies of Razansky and Sitti
The research teams led by Daniel Razansky and Metin Sitti published their findings in the journal “Advanced Materials“. Razansky, professor of biomedical imaging at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, and Sitti, a specialist in microrobotics, collaborated to demonstrate the effectiveness of these particles. They showed that these could be loaded with anti-cancer drugs and injected into the bloodstream of mice where they are held in a precise position through the use of focused ultrasound.
«Previously, researchers had mostly studied tiny gas bubbles as a method of transport in the bloodstream using ultrasound or other acoustic methods“, said Paul Wrede, co-author of the study and doctoral student in Razansky’s group. “We have just demonstrated that solid microparticles can also be guided acoustically. The advantage of floral particles over bubbles is that they can be loaded with larger amounts of active ingredient molecules.»
«We don’t just inject the particles and hope for the best. We actually control them“, he added. This technology promises to one day be able to deliver drugs directly to tumors or clots blocking blood vessels, providing a more precise and less invasive approach to medical treatments.
Materials and potential applications
The particles can be made from various materials such as zinc oxide, polyimide, or composites of nickel and organic compounds, depending on the specific needs of the treatment and the imaging techniques used.
«The principle of operation is based on their shape, not on the material from which they are made», specified Paul Wrede. This material flexibility expands the possible applications of particles, ranging from drug delivery for cardiovascular diseases to those against cancer.
The researchers plan to refine their concept through additional animal testing, hoping that this technology can soon benefit patients with heart disease or cancer, providing a new dimension to personalized medicine.
Illustration caption: These flower-shaped zinc oxide particles measure three micrometers (colorized image using an electron microscope). (Image: Dong Wook Kim / Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, colorization: ETH Zurich)
Article : Kim DW, Wrede P, Estrada H, Yildiz E, Lazovic J, Bhargava A, Razansky D, Sitti M: Hierarchical Nanostructures as Acoustically Manipulatable Multifunctional Agents in Dynamic Fluid Flow. Advanced Materials, DOI : 10.1002/adma.202404514
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