Nano Drug Made From Lemon Juice Cures Jaundice Faster: Scientists

Indian scientists recently claimed that the age-old home remedy of treating jaundice with lemon juice is one the fastest methods of treating the disease. The claim came after the scientists created a nanodrug from the squeezed lemon juice to notice the speed and accuracy by which it treats the disease.

The nanoparticles developed by the scientists break down the bilirubin in the human body. Bilirubin is the pigment found in the bile juice produced by the liver. Higher levels of bilirubin in the blood are a marker of certain diseases, including jaundice. The discovery is believed to have opened new avenues in the field of nanomedicine in the country.

"High levels may lead to brain damage or even death in newborns and adults, if not treated. To combat this, we designed manganese oxide nanoparticles capped with citrate, a derivative of citric acid found in citrus fruits such as lemons," said lead researcher Nabarun Polley, reported the Times of India. Polley further said that the new nano-hybrid efficiently brings down the level of bilirubin in blood by degrading the pigments.

Polley and his colleagues tested the nanoparticle in the lab on mice. According to the researchers, the nanoparticles are completely safe and compatible. In addition, the team claimed that the nano-hybrid is target-specific -- that is, it acts directly and already identifies the bilirubin pigments on which it needs to act. Therefore, the use of the nanoparticles thus eliminates its chances of targeting any other organ in the human body.

The study will be published in the Nanomedicine journal.

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