A 'lucky plant' could change the future of medical surgery

A team of researchers at the University of Essex has discovered new possibilities for using a plant common in many cultures as a 'surgery glue of the future'.

In the study, the researchers grew mistletoe, a parasitic plant that attaches itself to trees and other shrubs and lives mainly on them, in controlled laboratory conditions, with the aim of exploring its genetic makeup and potential uses in medical applications.

Dr Nick Aldred, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Essex, explained that the use of mistletoe as a glue is not new, but has been known since ancient times. In 50 BC, the Roman historian Pliny mentioned the use of mistletoe fruits in the manufacture of fly lime (glue) that was used to trap birds, and it was also used in World War II to make British sticky bombs.

Despite these historical uses, the potential of mistletoe in medical applications has yet to be fully exploited, due to the uncertainty surrounding how the plant’s adhesive chemically interacts.

Aldred stressed that exploring natural materials to extract environmentally friendly glue could provide innovative solutions in medicine, in addition to meeting the needs of the glue industry in the future.

For her part, Dr. Pallavi Singh, a co-author of the study, added that the mistletoe plant contains the largest genome of any plant that has been sequenced in the United Kingdom, which opens up vast horizons for scientists to conduct research that may change the future of biotechnology.

She pointed out that the glue inspired by the mistletoe plant could one day become an essential part of surgical operations.

Although the study is still in its early stages, researchers are conducting extensive experiments to determine the commercial potential of this innovative surgical glue.

In addition to its potential medical and commercial uses, mistletoe is part of Christmas traditions in many cultures. In Western traditions, a sprig of mistletoe is hung in doorways or above a dance floor, and is believed to bring good luck.

Source: Independent - Published on 10-12-2024 https://ar.rt.com/yvf8