Rapid Fire
Nanozyme to Combat Abnormal Blood Clotting
- 09 Jun 2025
- 2 min read
Researchers have developed a metal-based nanozyme that effectively prevents abnormal blood clotting, offering promising treatment for conditions like pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE, blood clots block arteries in the lungs) and thrombosis (blood clotting in veins or arteries).
- Normal blood clotting (haemostasis) involves platelets clustering at injury sites, triggered by signals from physiological agonists like collagen and thrombin.
- In disorders like PTE or Covid-19, oxidative stress and toxic Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) increase, causing excessive platelet activation and dangerous clot formation (thrombosis).
- Redox-active nanomaterials (nanozymes) mimic natural antioxidant enzymes, helping scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevent platelet over-activation.
- Among them, spherical-shaped vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) nanozymes were most effective, mimicking glutathione peroxidase, a key natural antioxidant enzyme.
- It could help prevent ischemic stroke caused by blood vessel blockages and may also aid in managing Covid-19-related clotting complications.
- A nanozyme is a nanomaterial (1–100 nm) that mimics the activity of natural enzymes, catalyzing biochemical reactions like biological enzymes.
- Nanozymes can be made from various materials, such as metals, metal oxides, carbon-based substances, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
| Read More: Nanotechnology |
