Some Facts About Clodronate Liposome Medicine

By Teri Farley


By definition, clodronate liposome is a drug delivered using liposome (a synthetic lipid that encapsulates other substances for ease of administration into the body). Liposome is manly a medium which carries the highly hydrophilic Clodronate thus facilitating its transport into the target organ. Essentially, the aim of this type of drug administration is to achieve higher macrophage depletion after an intravenous injection of the drug.

The principle behind this new method of drug administration is based on the use of synthetic lipid (Liposome) as a Trojan horse. Once ingested, the lipid is digested by the macrophages thus releasing Clodronate. This if followed by the release of the active components such as bisphosphonates which are good inhibitors of many autoimmune conditions.

Liposome Clodronate is therefore one of those drugs under test for treatment of various terminal illnesses. Diseases such as osteoporosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia and cancer are just a few examples. This drug can also handle metastatic carcinoma of the breast and other hard to handle conditions such as the multiple myeloma. The wide use is particularly related to its ability to inhibit the activities of macrophages even in gene therapy, neurological disorders or even transplantation therapy.

While it is still in its testing stages, the drug will not be strange since some clodronate products are already in the market to help with the treatment of excessive blood calcium. This condition is mostly seen in cancer patients. It is however encouraging that there are few mild side effects and rarely serious complications are reported. Patients using bisphosphonate products have in the past presented with nausea, vomiting and mild stomach pains.

While the above-mentioned adverse effects are considered mild and often disappear without further medication, other symptoms should not be taken lightly. There are however some rare cases where bisphosphonates have resulted in serious complications that warrant the attention of a doctor. Individuals should therefore be careful while taking the drug since it may also have serious side effects such as such wheezing or difficult breathing.

Other adverse drug reactions that might be associated with this drug include mouth pain, swelling and unexplainable tiredness or weakness. Moreover, patients who develop skin rashes and hives or severe muscle cramps after taking Clodronate should seek medical attention as a matter of urgency. Since these are just pre-release precautions, one should not be discouraged, as the final product may be a very stable product with lesser side effects.

As with all bisphosphonates and prescription medicine, you are not supposed to use them in some situations. For example, individuals with known allergies to Clodronate or bisphosphonates are advised to avoid the drug. In the same line, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should not use the drug. In addition, kidney patients and those using bisphosphonate derivates should also avoid the drugs. Lastly, individuals having gastrointestinal inflammations are not allowed to use the the drug.

Clodronate liposome as mentioned before is a prescription drug and thus cannot be shared with a family member, even if they have the same conditions. On the other hand, one cannot use the drugs unless the doctor prescribes it. Once it is officially released, it is expected to bring the much-needed cure for cancer. However, success will depend on how strict the patients will follow the prescription of the doctor.




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