Liposomal Clodronate May Be A Beneficial Blood Disorder Treatment

By Adele Madden


AIHA, otherwise known as autoimmune hemolytic anemia, is rather uncommon kind of anemia. It causes an individual's body to develop and produce antibodies that turn against the person's own red blood cells. The results in an unhealthy phenomena during which, over time, the premature and permanent destruction of these cells occurs. Liposomal clodronate is a drug that has recently captured the attention of numerous health and medical scientists and researchers, and for this reason it is currently being tested and studied as a possible AIHA treatment.

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.

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 experts and researchers are very optimistic with regard to this substance and its possible advantages for those suffering from AIHA. Numerous scientists believe that using this drug may prove as beneficial as a surgical procedure referred to as a therapeutic splenectomy. Naturally, using liposomally encapsulated clodronate is associated with less risks than any type of surgery. The drug may also be beneficial in instances where a fast response to therapy is crucial.

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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