Effective treatment of ophthalmic herpes

Postgraduate from BelSU Medical Institute Pharmaceutical Technology Department Aleksandra Baskakova returned from London after the half-year internship in UCL School of Pharmacy.  

The work on the most up-to-date devices, mastering of analytical and English scientific discussion skills, search and adaptation of materials for thesis research, getting new professional contacts, - everything were included in internship course. The main goal was a development of amorphous nanofiber with combined effect for the treatment of ophthalmic herpes.  

«There are 250-300 thousands of primary or relapse cases of ophthalmic herpes are registered in Russia annually, according to the data of Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. And there are millions of people with herpetic infection of eyes. We deduced that the most effective anti-virus substation for the treatment of conjunctivitis is acyclovir, but it is hardly soluble in water, which makes it difficult to use it in eye-drops. Electroforming of nanofiber, which have a larger surface area, continuous length of structure and high porosity can be an alternative way of rising of acyclovir’s solubility, – said Aleksandra Baskakova.   

During the internship she, – as part of Gareth Williams research team, – worked in nanomedical laboratory at producing of amorfing nanofiber from two types of polymeric materials: polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyacril.   The developed fiber provides optimal release of acyclovir in the solution. It allows optimizing a content of eye-drops for viral conjunctivitis’ treatment.

The young scientist has also said that the internship at UCL School of Pharmacy became a unique opportunity for getting new research and professional skills, and allowed her to immerse herself into the academic and scientific atmosphere of one of the most world’s respectable university as part of the postgraduate academic exchange program between universities.   

“I want to thank my superiors: Prof. Elena Zhilyakova and Prof. Gareth Williams for the help and contribution into my research work”, – she said.