Sunday, April 14, 2013

Liposomal Clodronate May Offer Benefits To Those Suffering From Certain Types Of Anemia

By Adele Madden


Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, abbreviated as AIHA, is a somewhat uncommon type of anemia, during which a person's body develops and produces antibodies that are targeted against its own red blood cells. This causes a unfortunate phenomenon where the premature and permanent destruction of these cells is accomplished over time. Liposomal clodronate is a substance that has recently caught the eye of many medical and health scientists, and it is currently being studied and tested as a potential treatment for AIHA.

In a vast number of cases, surgery must be performed to treat the aforementioned disorder. As most people are aware of, surgery of any type can result in complications. This is particularly true if the patient is of an advanced age or has additional health issues or underlying diseases.

Those with suppressed immune systems are not usually the best candidates for surgery. People who must use certain medications may also be told that they are at an increased risk for complications if surgery is necessary. These and other reasons lead researchers to focus their efforts on finding new medications for AIHA, instead of developing more surgical options.

Fortunately, today's modern technology has allowed scientists to isolate the type of agent that is needed to correct the red blood cell destruction that is caused by AIHA: antimacrophage agents are essential in order to stop the destructive activity occurring within the bloodstreams of individuals suffering from AIHA.

Medical scientists have found that liposomally encapsulated clodronate can restore the imbalance that causes a person's immune system to turn on its own red blood cells. Additional research is being conducted to determine if the initial findings were as positive in reality as they appeared to be in the initial studies.

To determine the effectiveness of this substance, a two-year study was completed on laboratory mice. Two groups of mice were given 2 distinctly different antibodies. In both groups, when liposomal clodronate was administered, it substantially lowered the speed at which the red blood cells were attacked. The benefits of the drug lasted as long as two weeks, and it took effect very quickly.

Health researchers and experts are optimistic concerning this drug and its potential benefits for AIHA patients. Many scientists are of the opinion that the use of this drug may offer the same health benefits as a medical procedure referred to as a medicinal splenectomy. Of course, the use of liposomally encapsulated clodronate would certainly be much less complicated than virtually any surgery. The substance may also be helpful in cases where a quick response to treatment is imperative.

In addition, positive results were observed when liposomal clodronate was used to suppress macrophage activity in various situations. These included organ transplants, autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders and gene therapy. For this reason, anyone suffering from AIHA has reason to hope that this drug may eventually be developed and marketed as a treatment or even a cure for this destructive blood disorder. However, additional research is still necessary to thoroughly understand all the beneficial effects of the drug.




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