Hepatic endoplasmic reticulum-derived nanodiscs for broad-spectrum drug detoxification

Summary

Drug overdose treatments often work only for specific drugs. Researchers created nanoscale discs from the endoplasmic reticulum of mouse liver cells that retain natural cytochrome P450 enzymes. These discs degraded three chemically distinct model drugs—bupropion, haloperidol, and propranolol—in test tubes. In cell cultures, they reduced drug-induced damage and oxidative stress while restoring antioxidant defenses. In mice, intravenous injection of the discs after a lethal drug dose improved survival and lessened oxidative injury in the liver and heart. The material showed no acute toxicity. This approach offers a biomimetic, broad-spectrum detoxification platform that does not require prior identification of the ingested drug, though further work on safety, pharmacokinetics, and real-world overdoses is needed.