TOMSK, Sep 20 – RIA Tomsk. Chemists of Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) develop a new technique of cholesterol measurement which allows to measure its level in blood and food more precisely; in the future it is planned to create the device capable to carry out the analysis even at home on its basis, the press service of the higher education institution reported on Tuesday.
It is noted that the high level of a cholesterol in blood leads to formation of fatty deposits which cause narrowing of arteries – atherosclerosis that is the reason of cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, according to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases are the main reason of death around the world.
There are several techniques of measurement of a cholesterol, but not all of them allow to do analyses by "stream", it can cost much, demand qualified specialists or aren't always exact. Chemists of TPU develop a new technique; use of a bis-urea is its cornerstone (substance with high biological activity). It oxidizes a cholesterol and allows to receive a signal immediately from its molecules.
"It is rather new approach. We work with bis-urea, which was synthesized a few years ago by our Kazakhstan colleagues. It is stable and allows to receive exact results", – the project manager, the engineer of department of physical and analytical chemistry of TPU Ksenia Derina is quoted in the message.
According to the higher education institution, the developed technique exceeds the existing analogs – it is suitable for cholesterol measurement in biological liquids, for example, in blood, and in food. "There are people in whose organism cholesterol isn't produced. They are prescribed a replaceable diet, and for successful therapy it is important to know the exact level of cholesterol in products", – Derina explains.It is added that in the long term it is planned to frame the device, which will be suitable both for clinical laboratories, and for individual use on the basis of the technique.
By data from open sources, a cholesterol is a natural fatty alcohol which is contained in cellular membranes of live organisms. It is responsible for a condition of a cellular membrane, and also participates in synthesis of a wide range of hormones, including sexual.