Abstract
Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter. It contains a significant portion of charged particles–ions and/or electrons. Due to the development of plasma technology, cold atmospheric (low temperature) plasma (CAP) has recently been extensively studied by researchers as possible medical applications including wound healing, sterilization, cancer therapy etc. Authors studied on the mechanism of cell death (apoptosis) induced by CAP and its enhancement. When hyperthermia was combined with CAP, enhancement of apoptosis was observed. Furthermore, when sulfasalazine, an inhibitor of cysteine transporter, was utilized for the combination, apoptosis induced by CAP was chemically enhanced. And a recent study showed that gold nanoparticles of 2 nm diameter enhanced CAP-induced apoptosis. Here, first, our recent evidences are presented and second, current achievement of CAP application for therapeutic use is introduced.
