IIT Madras: Researcher Develops Magnesium Alloy to Fix Bone Fractures, Check Details Here

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras researchers have launched a Nano-coated magnesium alloy that can repair bone fractures.

As per the researchers of IIT Madras, the science has been tested on rabbits and the outcome was successful. 

Following this, the institute issued a statement which stated that researchers would now study the medical applications of the alloy on other animals. The alloy material will be used for repairing human bones, after being tested across species.

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Researchers of the Project

The research was headed by Mukesh Doble, the professor in the department of biotechnology at IIT Madras.

While Dr. Govindaraj Perumal, post-doctoral research scholar, IIT Madras, Dr. Boopalan Ramasamy, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Dr. A Maya Nandkumar, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, are among the other members in the research team.

The team also includes Dr. D. Sivaraman, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, and Dr. R. Selvaraj from Bioscience Research Foundation Chennai.

They found that the rabbit’s femur implanted with the coated magnesium alloy witnessed bone formation by healing the defect region.

Project Highlights: How does it Works

Mukesh Doble, stated while highlighting the prime aspects of the experiment, “Titanium mesh cage is placed in the gap which helps to heal and stabilize the bone. But it does not degrade and so remains in the body permanently. “

“It also leads to stress shielding since it has mechanical strength much larger than the bone.” The mechanical properties of magnesium are closer to that of the bone. The fundamental problem with magnesium is that it degrades fast, he added.”

While explaining the experiment further he said, “To slow it down and match to the growth of the new bone, we have coated (electrospinning) it with a slowly degrading polymer called ‘polycaprolactone’ mixed with ‘hydroxyapatite.’ The latter is the same as the bone material and hence does not cause any toxicity and integrates with the bone”.

Alloys of Magnesium are suitable because magnesium is biocompatible, biodegradable, and has other crucial mechanical properties and is a fine option for orthopedic applications. 

Magnesium is recognized as the fourth abundant metal in the body and helps to speed up the remedial process for bones.

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