Developed a polymer that improves blood clotting

US scientists have developed a polymer PolySTAT , the injection of which increases blood clotting. Such a drug in the future will be able to save people with extensive bleeding, injured on the battlefield or as a result of an accident. So far, the polymer has been successfully tested in mice.



In field conditions, rescuers in the presence of bleeding usually impose a tourniquet. But in the case of internal bleeding it is not always clear where the pressure should be applied. Sometimes the wrong point of the application can even worsen the condition of the victim.



The body fights bleeding by forming blood clots from platelets. Under the influence of the enzyme thrombin in the blood protein fibrin is formed, which strengthens the resulting clots and forms natural "traffic jams". When the internal organ bleeds, the plugs that form are very weak, since the components necessary to create them flow with the blood. These traffic jams, sometimes, give in even during the procedure of blood transfusion.

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The researchers managed to develop a polymer that reinforces the plugs, which as a result reduces the likelihood of internal bleeding. Susie Pan, a bioengineer at Washington University, says: “We have developed a polymer that can be injected into the blood. It is embedded in the forming clots and strengthens them. This can greatly help in saving people, for example, on the battlefield. ”



The polymer before its dissolution in saline looks like a white powder. It is based on the same polymer that is used to make contact lenses. It is embedded in blood clots where there is fibrin. Since it is not normally in the blood, the polymer does not threaten the sudden creation of blood clots somewhere in the circulatory system. Scientists have previously tried to create artificial platelets, but for the first time they achieved success with the help of a synthetic polymer.



In their work, the scientists cut the femoral artery into mice. Then half of them introduced a new polymer. Of those mice that did without an injection, half died. All mice that received a dose of polymer survived.



Nathan White, co-author of the study, says that most people lose too much blood in injuries and simply don’t live to see the hospital. Using PolySTAT in the field will help them survive. In addition, it can help people with blood disorders that prevent clots from forming. In the future, perhaps, on the basis of this decision, it will be possible to create a medicine that destroys blood clots resulting from a stroke.



Judging by the initial research, the polymer is non-toxic and does not damage the internal organs. But scientists still have a lot of tests before this tool can be widely used. While researchers are preparing for experiments on larger animals.