Nanoparticle treatment for stroke in works.

• Position: Ischemia

The most common form of stroke is caused by a sudden reduction in blood flow to the brain that leads to an inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients. These so-called ischemic strokes are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the industrialized world. If they are not remedied immediately by medical intervention, areas of the brain may die off. In Angewandte Chemie, researchers have now proposed a new approach for supplemental treatment: Ceria nanoparticles could trap the reactive oxygen compounds that result from ischemia and cause cells to die.

When blood flow to areas of the brain is restricted, reactive oxygen compounds like superoxide radical anions, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals form and accumulate. The species cause oxidative damage and are responsible for tissue damage and cell death during a stroke. Nerve connections and neurovascular units are destroyed and the function of the brain in these areas stops.

Despite various treatments that primarily combat the causes of reduced blood flow. such as thrombosis, there has been no way to protect nerves from oxidative damage after an acute ischemic stroke. The team at Seoul National University, South Korea, hopes that nanoparticles made of ceria may represent a new approach for treatment.

Cells contain enzymes that can break down reactive oxygen species: superoxide dismutases, which convert superoxide anions...