Water-soluble polymers

In our imagination polymers are associated with plastic utensils, washable wallpaper and raincoat, that is, we perceive them as a substance very resistant to water. But there are those that dissolve in water! You have long been familiar with them, just not paying attention. Well, well, try to tell something interesting about them.

Of water-soluble polymers is quite possible to produce yarns and fabrics. But, apparently, who need clothes, disappearing brand viagra in the rain, or a disposable swimsuit? Meanwhile, thread, water soluble, are needed. And most of all, perhaps, surgery. For stitching wounds, and ligation of blood vessels they use "thread" of silk, hair, catgut (thin strips of veal or sheep intestines). Silk and hair are not absorbed, so the seams after the healing has to take off. Catgut dissolves itself in the body, but often even before the complete healing of wounds.

Threads made of polymers, such as polyglycolic acid, do not have these drawbacks, they dissolve only after complete cicatrization, and completely eliminated from the body. For such filaments are characteristic clear deadlines for dispersal, the lack of response of body tissues, the strength and number of other positive properties. Therefore, at present about 80% used worldwide suture material - biodegradable polymer threads.

Slowly soluble fabrics and fibers can be used as an effective wound dressing, if chemically combine a polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol, the molecules of microbicides. Clothing doctors, napkins and sheets made from such fabrics, fully decontaminated when wetted with water.

New drugs on the basis of water-soluble polymers are increasingly used in medicine. Their main advantage - the prolonged effect, ie a medicine enters the body immediately, but gradually, over a certain period of time. This allows them to use less, reduce one-time dose. Drugs act longer, and happens to bring them to the damaged organ can only be by water-soluble polymers.

A striking example - eye treatment film. They, unlike the droplets, which rapidly deteriorate and easily washed away with tears, provide long-term effect of drugs on the patient's eyes. The basis of such films - the same water-soluble polymers. Polymer base film dissolves in the tear fluid, gradually releasing the drug, for example, fibrinolysin, and provides a prolonged action of the enzyme, whose concentration viagra two-chamber vessel reaches a maximum at 12 hours and maintained at this level throughout the day.
They often avoid injections. They have to do when the drugs are destroyed in the acidic environment of the stomach. If the patient to give a "polymer" pill, which can not be the action of gastric juice, but readily soluble in alkaline intestine, the medication will be delivered as intended and without injections.

Well, themselves polymer solutions, whether they are fit for something? Sure! For example, blood, and this precious liquid, as it is sometimes not enough! But the blood - is "alive" the variance of blood cells in plasma - an aqueous solution of biopolymers. Is it possible to replace it, at least temporarily, other polymers, capable to perform the same functions? Imagine if you can. As early as 1915, the year in practice used blood substitute based on gelatin. To replace the blood in the apparatus of artificial circulation for a long time used drugs such as zhelatinol. Already from the name shows that it too is prepared from a natural polymer - gelatin. In the forties and still used blood substitutes based on dextran, and many other water-soluble polymers. These drugs are still not quite perfect, but work to create a full-blood substitute continues.

Restore
control of glycemia
Important function