Nanoparticle Detox

New research on synthetic nanoparticles that mimic red blood cells (RBCs) has led to some significant discoveries regarding ways to eliminate toxins from the body.

RBCs are useful not only for transporting oxygen within the body but also for clearing harmful substances. In previous research, it was shown that spherical nanoparticles made from a biodegradable polymer and coated with a membrane harvested from real blood cells could absorb toxins and prevent them from attaching to healthy cells.

Recently, the team experimented further by changing the shape of the nanoparticles and injecting them into mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Results showed that spherical coated particles did not have a significant impact on life expectancy. Football-shaped, coated nanoparticles survived up to seven times longer than uncoated spherical-shaped particles. And both Frisbee-shaped and football-shaped particles appeared to extend life expectancy in one-third and one-half of the mice, respectively. The researchers believe that the football shape allows the cells to move more readily through the blood stream, making them more effective at removing toxins.