New Russian-Developed Material to Restore All Bone Tissue Elements

A pioneering new biomaterial for the treatment of osteoporosis has been developed by a scientific team with the participation of biologists from Samara University. According to the researchers, the practical application of this material will allow recovery of not only the lost mineral components of bone tissue, but also organic ones.

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease accompanied by a progressive reduction in the mineral density of bone tissue. It causes increased bone fragility and the risk of bone fracture. According to scientists, osteoporosis is the fourth most deadly illness after cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes.

The research team from Samara National Research University, Samara State Medical University and the International Interuniversity Research Laboratory for Tissue Engineering (IIRL TE) has developed a unique new material for the correction of osteoporosis treatment – Hydroxyapatite (HAp), obtained using a patented technology “Lioplast”.

“The currently-used hydroxyapatite contains only a mineral component. The uniqueness of the material we have developed lies in its composition, namely in the content of not only mineral components but also organic ones. The new material allows us to restore lost mineral components of bone tissue to correct the treatment of osteoporosis, and also the organic component which is the 'skeleton' of all biotissues”, Associate Professor of the Department of Laser and Biotechnical Systems at Samara National Research University and Deputy Scientific Director of IIRL TE, Elena Timchenko said.

According to the professor, the technology for obtaining HAp was improved and its quality evaluated using the Advanced Raman Spectroscopy Method. The researchers noted that there are no analogues of such materials for the treatment of osteoporosis in the world.

Scientists also reported that they carried out experimental studies on the composition of bone in osteoporosis, having analysed specific features of bone structure changes in different osteoporosis variants ranging from primary to secondary.

“Primary osteoporosis is considered when the reasons for its development are unknown. Secondary osteoporosis occurs when the human body has diseases. As a result of our research, we have developed criteria for individual treatment of different types of osteoporosis with HAp”, Timchenko commented.

According to the researchers, the obtained results allow the development of set of methods for assessing the individual state of bone tissue at the pre-clinical stage in the application of new biomaterial (HAp) to prevent osteoresorption (resorption of bone tissue) in terrestrial conditions as well as in micro-gravity.

Zero gravity during space flight causes a specific loss of bone mass, leading to osteoporosis.

The results of the study were published in the Journal of Optical Technology.