The US makes super-self-contained capsules to deliver drugs to tumors

According to New Scientist, scientists at the California Institute of Technology, USA, have developed tiny self-propelled capsules that can remove their outer shells and deliver drugs directly to tumor cells.

Capsules include 20 micron magnesium particles coated with gold, on which a special layer of hydrogel containing anticancer drugs is coated. Finally, gelatin capsules contain a few microns .

Gas escapes from the bottom hole of the capsule to make the capsule move - (Photo: Science Robotics).

In the experiments, the scientists gave the mice mice a malignant tumor cell to simulate colon cancer, to eat a capsule and follow the pathway of the capsule through the intestine. When the capsules reach the tumor tumor position, they are illuminated by strong infrared light. This causes warming of gold and releases micromotor moving around the tumor area. Thanks to a piece of magnesium, hydrogen bubbles appear to allow the capsule to move around the tumor, gradually releasing the drug.

Wei Gao, a researcher at the California Institute of Technology, says that movement is important for drug delivery. Transporting drugs in the gastrointestinal tract is difficult, because everything is always moving, so drugs can be swept away before they can be effective.

Scientists believe that this drug delivery method could be used to target cancerous tissues or treat bacterial infections. But to apply this method to humans, stronger infrared signals are needed. The team will have to think of ways to penetrate deeper tissue because human tissue is thicker than mouse tissue.

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