MOSCOW, 3 Aug. SSU scientists have found an unexpected use of vape liquid in medicine. According to them, the composition of the mixtures increases the permeability of tissues for light waves, which makes it possible to better visualize the affected organs and irradiate them more evenly, for example, in phototherapy for cancer of the mucous membranes of the throat and lungs.
Optical imaging of tissues is considered one of the promising areas of medical diagnostics. It allows you to study in detail the area of the spread of the disease, in particular cancer, and study the internal structure of cells, said at the Saratov State University named after N.G. Chernyshevsky. an illuminating agent is a substance that reduces the scattering of light in a biological tissue and does not absorb light in the required wavelength range, which is important for successful diagnosis of pathology.
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"Our research has proven that vape liquids are the optimal agent for diagnosing various neoplasms in the respiratory tract and oral cavity. They consist of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, these two substances have previously shown high efficiency for tissue enlightenment, and their combination turned out to be the most effective,» said Valery Tuchin, head of the Department of Optics and Biophotonics at SSU, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
According to him, glycerin is a unique active substance for such diagnostics, since it does not absorb light in a very wide spectrum: from infrared to the shortest wavelengths of the ultraviolet range of about 150 nm. And propylene glycol, in turn, enhances the permeability of biological membranes for glycerol.
Since the proportions of these components in different mixtures are different, it is easy to find the optimal ratio for use in medicine. At the same time, we are talking about formulations without nicotine and flavors, the researcher noted. =»0.5625″ data-crop-width=»600″ data-crop-height=»338″ data-source-sid=»not_rian_photo» class=»» />
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«The same features of the agent are required not only for diagnosis, but also for phototherapy itself, for example, cancer treatment using laser radiation or other sources of light waves with a significant increase in the photosensitivity of specific tissues. The glycerol-propylene glycol mixture provides not only better visualization of objects, but also more uniform distribution of light in the depth of the tissue. Such advantages will reduce radiation doses, as well as increase the effectiveness of treatment,» Tuchin continued.
The scientist added that vape liquids can also be used as antifreezes when freezing living organs for implantation — when an organ is placed in such a mixture, it can be cooled to very low temperatures without the formation of sharp ice floes that can break cells from the inside.
However, long-term contact of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and lungs with vapors of liquid for electronic cigarettes with a high probability can lead to cancer of the throat, lungs and diseases of the cardiovascular system. Vapes also increase the body's vulnerability to viruses and toxic substances, since the opening of biological membranes with propylene glycol facilitates the penetration of all airborne particles and molecules into the blood, Tuchin noted.
Research supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (Grant No. 23-14-00287).
SSU is a participant of the Priority-2030 state support program for Russian universities.