Nanoparticles Used for Glaucoma Treatment

Nanoparticles made out of a substance used to polish glass and as a catalyst to remove sludge in the walls of self-cleaning ovens show great potential as a promising treatment for glaucoma, an eye disease that affects millions of people worldwide.

In a study scheduled for the June 28, 2007, issue of Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Dr. Sudipta Seal, from the University of Central Florida (UCF; Orlando, USA), and Dr. Sanku Mallik, from North Dakota University (NDSU; Fargo, USA), describe early laboratory tests of cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) utilized as drug delivery vehicles.

Drs. Mallik and Seal noted that only 1-3% of existing glaucoma medicines penetrate into the eye, whereas studies by other groups have shown high penetration rates for nanoparticles without excessive patient discomfort from scratching. They combined nanoceria with a compound that blocks activity of an enzyme (hCAII) thought to play a key role in glaucoma. This disease involves abnormally high pressure of the fluid inside the eye, which, if left untreated, can result in damage to the optic nerve and vision loss. High pressure occurs, partly, because of a buildup of carbon dioxide inside the eye, and the compound blocks an enzyme that produces carbon dioxide.

"These results are very promising, and more studies will likely evolve into an inhibition of hCAII in living cells and an effective treatment for glaucoma and other diseases,” their report stated. "Furthermore, inhibitors for other pathogenic enzymes can be immobilized on the nanoceria and applied to the enzymes. The potential applications for functionalized cerium oxide nanoparticles seem limitless as a potential nontoxic drug delivery tool.”


Related Links:
University of Central Florida
North Dakota University