Monday, April 15, 2013

Liposomal Clodronate May Offer Potential Benefits To Blood Disorder Sufferers

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 many instances, surgical procedures are necessary in order to treat patients who are suffering from AIHA. Most individuals are fully aware that there are a certain number of risks associated with any type of surgery. These risks are even higher in those who suffer from underlying illnesses or other health issues. Elderly individuals are also at increased risk for complications.

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.

Thankfully, today's innovative technology has provided a way for researchers to isolate the kind of agent that is necessary to correct the destruction of red blood cells that occurs in individuals with AIHA. These are antimacrophage agents, which are vitally important if the red blood cell destruction is to be stopped in patients with this type of anemia.

Researchers have discovered that liposomally encapsulated clodronate can successfully counteract the imbalance that causes one to destroy his or her own blood cells. Further research was completed to find out if the initial discoveries were as promising in reality as they were in the preliminary 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, in cases where liposomal clodronate was utilized to combat macrophage activity, positive results were seen. Some examples of categories in which these positive results were observed include neurological disorders, organ transplants, gene therapy and autoimmune diseases. This is why patients who have been diagnosed with this type of anemia can be hopeful that eventually the substance may be developed and marketed as a therapy, or perhaps a cure for AIHA. It is important to understand, however, that more research is needed so that scientists can thoroughly understand all the possible benefits of this drug.




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