Did you know that Carbon-13 labeled compounds are being used in medical studies to help diagnose various diseases, including cancer? One of the most popular diagnostic drugs in this field is called Urea-13C, which helps to identify Helicobacter pylori infection.
This infection is quite common and affects around 4.4 billion people worldwide, with higher prevalence rates in developing countries like India and Brazil. The bacteria can cause gastrointestinal ulcers, which are more common in developing countries.
It weakens the stomach's ability to produce mucus and makes it vulnerable to acid. There are several tests available, such as the UBT breath test, stool antigen test, and tissue biopsy, to diagnose Helicobacter infection. Another compound, 13C-Spirulina, was approved by the FDA in 2016.
It's used to diagnose gastric paralysis, which can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, feeling full quickly, and delayed gastric emptying. While the exact cause of gastric paralysis is still unknown, it is believed to be related to stomach nerve signal disorders.
So, these carbon-13 labeled compounds are helping doctors and researchers to diagnose and treat diseases more effectively.
It's exciting to see how science is advancing, isn't it?
" Carbon-13 labeled compounds " " stable isotope " " 13C" " Carbon-13 "