New lung disease treatment

An Australian research team has discovered a type of cell in human placentas that could be used to treat lung diseases by reducing inflammation and scarring.

Researchers from the Lung Institute of Western Australia and the Monash Institute of Medical Research say their discovery could lead to treatments for lung diseases such as emphysema, severe asthma and abestosis.

They successfully tested the treatment on mice and published the results of their study this month in the American Journal of Respiratory of Critical Care Medicine.

The study concluded that use of the placenta cells offered promise as a cellular therapy for reducing lung inflammation and fibrosis.

- AAP