Monday, June 8, 2009

Silver nano particles as antiplatelet agent?

We know common side effects of anti-thrombotic agents [aspirin & Reo Pro (abciximab) ] like dangerous bleeding and ulcerogenecity (of aspirin) so there is an urgent need to have more safer antiplatelet agents. Now thanx to Debabrata Dash and colleagues of Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi for their innovative findings that is., now silver nano particles can be used as antiplatelet agent.

The scientists describe development and lab testing of silver nanoparticles that seem to keep platelets in an inactive state. Low levels of the nanosilver, injected into mice, reduced the ability of platelets to clump together by as much as 40 percent with no apparent harmful side effects. The nanoparticles "hold immense potential to be promoted as an antiplatelet agent," the researchers note. Nanosilver appears to possess dual significant properties critically helpful to the health of mankind — antibacterial and antiplatelet — which together can have unique utilities, for example in coronary stents. One more "Nano" to the drug discovery kitty. Congrats Dash and group for this achievement. More...

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