I've said it before and I'll say it again…right here and now. Nanotechnology is the future of medicine. Despite the reluctant naysayers and the wave of controversy, which stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of this promising development, nanotechnology is revolutionizing the fields of nutritional supplements, disease prevention, disease detection and practical treatment. We've covered the benefits of nano-encapsulated vitamin supplements somewhat extensively, but here are few of the latest breakthroughs in nanomedicine that highlight the diversity of this newborn technology. All three news items were reported in the first week of September 2009 and can be further researched through www.nanotech-now.com.
• Thanks to researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Akron, Ohio, bacterial pneumonia may get a serious kick in the pants. Researchers infected mice with the bacteria, Pseudomona aeroginosa, and then made half of the mice inhale aerosolized nanoparticles containing antimicrobial silver carbine complexes (SCCs). The other half received placebo nanoparticles. The group inhaling the silver nanoparticles had far less bacteria in their lungs and, therefore, lived. The placebo group was not so lucky. These results were presented at the 105th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society and can easily translate to the prevention of pneumonia in humans.
• Recently, the Basque technological center CIDETEC-IK4, the Higher Center for Scientific Research and the University of Berkeley have teamed up to develop a electrochemical nanosensor capable of detecting harmful diseases and DNA mutations. This concept test is just the beginning of the possibilities for detecting diseases quickly and efficiently.
• The field of oncology is also benefiting from nanotechnology. Carbon nanotubes may provide a way of destroying cancers and large tumors in particular. In addition to their unfathomable size, these nanotubes exhibit a great deal of thermal conductivity and an ability to absorb infrared radiation. In other words, cancer cells should prepare to be nuked.
The aforementioned applications are just a few of the countless practical uses for the evolving field of nanotechnology. For all the Luddites out there, just look at the facts and decide for yourself. If we're all open to the possibilities, the future of medicine can be bright and streamlined (even if health care reform is still a mess of bureaucratic headaches).
© Wellness Information Services