Asthma
Introduction
Asthma is chronic inflammatory disease of the airway. It is characterized by variable and reversible airflow obstruction and spasm of the airway tubes. Symptoms include cough, wheezing and shortness of breath. Genetic and environmental factors are usually responsible for precipitation of asthma. Various investigative procedures like spirometry are available to determine the extent of obstruction. Treatment for asthma is usually symptomatic and supportive. Drugs like Salbutamol (also known as Albuterol) and salmetarol are used to dilate the airway tubes and relieve the spasm. This allows better air entry and relieves symptoms. Chronic inflammation is suppressed by steroids. Most of the drugs are administered by inhalational route using an inhaler device. Acute attacks of asthma are emergency conditions. These attacks should be treated urgently to avoid serious consequences. There is no permanent cure for asthma at present.
Iranian scientists have moved to the forefront in embryonic stem cell research, according to a recent joint study by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Treatment
Stem cell therapy is a newly emerging treatment modality. It has been found effective in various diseases that do not have any permanent cure. It has also been tried in asthma. Role of stem cell therapy has not been clearly established. It is still under evaluation. However preliminary evidences suggest it may be of importance in asthma.
Initial evidences suggest that stem cell therapy may prove to be an important curative treatment of asthma.
In stem cell therapy stem cells are collected from the patient before onset of therapy and subsequently harvested. These stem cells have the potential to become any cell in the body. Once matured the cells are introduced into the body. Some studies have shown that certain cells called cytokines may play a role in asthma. A group of researchers from Poland converted stem cells into some of these cytokines. After maturation some substances and drugs were also administered to help their differentiation and growth. The cells reach at the site of the affected cells and were found to reduce inflammation due to asthma. The normal function of the cells is restored and injured tissue was healed. This could be a potential therapy for gradual improvement of lung function and signs and symptoms of asthma may be relieved.
Further studies are currently on to evaluate the definite role of stem cell therapy in asthma. Initial evidences suggest that stem cell therapy may prove to be an important curative treatment of asthma