Utility of Placental Umbilical Cord Blood in Autoimmune and Degenerative Disorders

Background: Umbilical cord blood is whole human blood (60 to 80 ml) that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord after childbirth; generally considered as a medical waste. It is a rich source of stem cells, growth factor, cytokines, etc., and, can be collected, stored and utilized in the treatment of incurable diseases. Aims and Objects: The aim of the present study is to establish the fact that placental umbilical cord whole blood is a safe alternative to adult blood and to assess its utility in degenerative and autoimmune disease along with its hematological parameters. Materials and Methods: It is a prospective two year study (From September 2016 to August 2018) of 250 umbilical cord whole blood transfusions in autoimmune and degenerative disorders at Gajra Raja Medical College, Gwalior, India. Follow up of patients was done up to 3 months and data was collected and analyzed statistically by frequency distribution and percentage proportion. Results: A total of 250 units meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were transfused to 99 preregistered patients; Vitiligo 61 (159 transfusions), Thalassemia 15 (30), Retinitis Pigmentosa 9 (23), Geriatric Disorders 9 (24), Aplastic anemia 4 (9) and High Myopia 1 (5). Out of 250 transfusions, in one case (0.4%) adverse event was reported. Outcome of transfusion reveals; In Vitiligo –regimentation in affected area, Thalassemia-reduction in frequency of transfusions, Retinitis Pigmentosa- improvement in vision area, Geriatric patients- sense of well being, Aplastic anemia- prolonged survival and High Myopia-improvement in vision area. Conclusion: Umbilical cord blood is safe and genuine alternative of adult blood. It is effective in degenerative and autoimmune diseases. It should not be discarded as medical waste and utilized judiciously in the human well being.

Umbilical cord blood: Current status & promise for the future.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been shown to be a suitable source of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for haematopoietic reconstitution. An increase in the number of UCB transplants indicates an expansion of utility in a broad spectrum of disease conditions. Along with the advantages, UCB also has limitations, and hence several investigators are working to further optimize UCB for this use. Beyond haematopoietic transplantation, additional potential applications of UCB include immunotherapy, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. UCB banking has improved with time largely due to involvement of professional organizations and their published standards. However, accreditation of these organizations remains voluntary, and in India three of ten banks are public with the remaining being private. Only one public and one private bank are American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) accredited in India. Government agencies need to provide regulatory and safety oversight, which is lacking in serveral countries. Public policy regarding UCB is in its infancy throughout most of the world. Ethical issues, including access to UCB banking and use as therapy for diseases other than haematological and metabolic disorders are in the early phase of trials and remain speculative.

Effect of APS on recoverable ability from cryopreservation damage of UCB hematopoietic cells / 中草药

Objective To study the effect of angelica polysaccharides (APS) on recoverable ability from cryopreservation damage of umbilical cord blood (UCB) hematopoietic cells and APS with hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) on in vitro expansion of UCB mononuclear cells (MNC) after thawing. Methods Thawed UCB MNC were cultured 24 h or 14 d with various concentration of APS (0,50,100,200,and 400 ?g/mL) or with APS and HGFs. The MNC counting assay,typan blue exclusion assay,colorimetric MTT assay for cell proliferation,CFU-Mix colong-forming assay,and flow cytometry for CD34+ cell rate were detected. Results After adding certain concentration APS in thawed UCB cells,the number of MNC,the rate of trypan blue exclusion,the proliferation of MNC,and the colony production of CFU-Mix were significantly enhanced (P