In a breakthrough, scientists recently developed revolutionary eye drops using pig seminal fluid that can stop tumor growth in the retina and preserve vision.
According to the new research published in Scientific progressthe researchers used mice for the study and found groundbreaking results when it comes to its ability to fight cancer.
The mice treated with the eye drops showed signs of reduction in tumor growth and preservation of vision compared to other animals.
The eye drops contain exosomes derived from pig sperm, designed to carry molecules that kill cancer cells. According to researchers, these exosomes are uniquely able to penetrate the eye’s protective barriers by opening tight junctions in the corneal cells.
By loading these particles with a specialized nanozyme system and targeting them with folic acid, the team successfully stunted tumor growth in mice without damaging vision.
Chunxia Zhao, a researcher who studies drug delivery and nanomedicine at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said this penetration breakthrough could improve drug delivery across the other barriers present in other diseases.
A promising hope for retinoblastoma
Given the promising efficacy of the drops, it is hoped that such revolutionary drops could treat retinoblastoma, a cancer of the retina.
Traditionally, cancer is treated with injections of drugs into the eye, laser therapy or chemotherapy. Such invasive methods also damage the non-cancerous parts of the eye.
The researchers also conducted a 30-day trial in rabbits, which showed that drops are safe to use even after a month of use. Some team members reported mild corneal irritation.
However, the research is currently a proof-of-concept. The long-term effects (longer than 30 days) and human efficacy remain unknown.
If successful in humans, the method would replace painful and invasive injections directly into the eyeball.
