What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Latest News

Recently, researchers have developed an innovative “self-actuating” drug delivery system that could revolutionize the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by targeting inflammation directly within the joints so that therapeutic agents are released only when needed.

About Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, wherein your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, and causing inflammation in the affected parts of the body.
It mainly attacks the joints, usually many joints at once. RA commonly affects joints in the hands, wrists, and knees.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis: In a joint with RA, the lining of the joint becomes inflamed, causing damage to joint tissue. This tissue damage can cause long-lasting or chronic pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), and deformity (misshapenness).
It can also affect other tissues throughout the body and cause problems in organs such as the lungs, heart, and eyes.
Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is the result of an immune response in which the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells. The specific causes of RA are unknown.
Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Its treatment usually includes the use of medications that slow disease and prevent joint deformity, called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Key Points of The Research

Researchers have developed a smart system that responds directly to the biochemical signals in the inflamed synovial environment.
The system uses specially designed microspheres loaded with methotrexate, a commonly used anti-rheumatic drug.
The formulation consists of polymer-lipid hybrid micro-composites, where the lipid component (soya lecithin) ensures high drug encapsulation efficiency, and the polymer component (gelatin) provides responsiveness to Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP).
The system leverages the unique biochemical signals present in the inflamed synovial microenvironment to release therapeutic agents precisely when needed. When exposed to these enzymes, the gelatin substrate is cleaved, triggering the release of the encapsulated drug in a controlled, pulsatile manner.