Allergies will soon be cured within 15 minutes
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Allergy can be called a scourge of our time. This disease affects millions of people around the world. Disrupt the rhythm of life and cause a lot of unpleasant sensations are capable of such allergens as animal hair, pollen, food, plants, and even ordinary household dust. In this case, not all symptoms are reduced to coughing, itching and sneezing. The most critical course of an allergic reaction is an anaphylactic shock that can lead even to a person's death.
Immune protection responds to the introduction of allergens, increasing the synthesis of immunoglobulin E - these antibodies are produced by the cellular structures of the spleen, stomach, tonsils, etc. Molecules stimulate a number of bioactive substances (for example, histamine) that trigger the appearance of typical allergy symptoms - these are the most common symptoms, such as a rhinitis, a conjunctivitis, a puffiness, an itch and so forth.
Antiallergic medicines act on such bioactive substances, or on the receptors of such substances. Therefore, these drugs are often called antihistamines. Their effect can be called inferior, since they only eliminate the unpleasant signs of allergy. The scientists thought: what if you try to involve the immunoglobulin E directly? Probably, it will help to prevent the development of the allergic process, and the symptomatology does not appear at all?
Scientists at the University of Giessen (Germany) were able to discover a unique mechanism in which antibodies can prevent the development of an allergic process in most patients with allergies.
After numerous experiments scientists managed to create antibodies, which practically at one time block the function of all immunoglobulins E, which are in the active state. Substance 026-sdab does not allow immunoglobulin E to adhere to the individual receptors of CD23 and FceRI, which completely blocks the further development of the allergic process, which decays without beginning.
Today, a new antibody has been tested successfully in a scientific laboratory. For the experiment, scientists applied the blood of a patient suffering from an allergic reaction to birch pollen and poisonous insect secretions. As a result, a new developed tool helped to reduce the content of immunoglobulin E in blood plasma by almost 70% already within 15 minutes after administration.
In addition to the speed of action and effectiveness, the new medicine has a number of other advantages:
- production of the drug does not require large investments;
- the preparation can be produced both in the form of a solution for injection, and in the form of tablets or inhalation aerosols;
- a new medicine can be used to prevent and treat common allergies, as well as bronchial asthma and - probably - contact dermatitis.
When scientists plan to introduce a new medicine into practice, it is not reported yet.
Details of the research project are set out in the pages of the journal Nature Communications.
[