11. Implications and applications¶
MYCOTHERAPHY | TRANSDERMAL TISSUES | SELF-CULTIVATION | BIOMATERIALS-BIOCHROMES¶
Mycotherapy
Discipline that studies the therapeutic properties of mushrooms for the treatment and prevention of diseases.Have been used traditionally in oriental culture for centuries. There is a diversity of medicinal mushrooms, each one with different qualities and for a specific well-being.
Local medicinal mushrooms.
Therapeutic properties:
- Antibacterial
- Insecticidal
- Antiviral
- Analgesic
- Hemostatic
- ATB
- Antidiabetic
- Antitumor
Transdermal tissues
Develop a transdermal tissue, generating a textile or wearable that is itself medicinal when in contact with the skin. Deliver active ingredients in a controlled manner to the body of the person wearing the clothing.
The ingredient delivery mechanism works similar to a transdermal patch and is activated by the temperature and moisture of the skin.
Transdermal patches are devices used to deliver medications. They are fixed to the skin by means of an adhesive and release a drug continuously, so that it is absorbed by the skin. That is, that it crosses the successive layers of skin, until it reaches the blood.
Transdermal patches are made up of four parts:
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A waterproof covering sheet.
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A matrix or reservoir of the active principle, where the drug is housed.
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An adhesive.
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A plastic sheet that is removed before applying the patch.
TexDel, for example, is a company that is using filament yarns to convey a variety of active ingredients.
He has created a therapeutic sock, with treated fiber for pain relief. These socks are made from a blend of Merino wool and TexDel's Nufabrx nylon infused with capsaicin and a synthetic cooling agent.
Self-cultivation
Seasonal mushrooms. Not all medicinal mushrooms grow year-round. It would be interesting to investigate what are the necessary conditions for each mushroom to grow.
Biomaterial/Biochrome
From what I have been able to investigate, most medicinal mushrooms are dyers.
Lines of investigation:
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How to generate a transdermal tissue that transmits the medicinal properties of mushrooms? Electronic textiles?
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What is the amount of mushrooms to generate effect? Dose-effect?
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Reusable or biodegradable materials?
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which medicinal mushrooms can be self-cultivated and under what conditions?
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I consider the possibility that it is biodegradable and can act as a substrate for self-cultivation.
Conceptual Map¶
During the week we have worked on the Miro platform to specify where we want to go with the personal project. To do this through the question How Might We? We have classified our challenges. It has been interesting to assess the viability of the project.
The 3 assignments for the development of my project, as I explain in the concept map, will be:
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Open Source Hardware (self-cultivation)
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Biomaterials
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Biochrome
WHAT¶
Create a transdermal tissue or wearable that transmits the properties of mushrooms topically. Understand the fact of dressing as a moment of self-care and personal well-being.
WHY¶
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Local Resources
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Double functionality: Fabrics that transmit beneficial properties for health and produced with local raw materials.
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Create towards well-being
HOW¶
- Investigation of different properties of mushrooms. Dose-effect.
- Investigation of how to create transdermal tissues.
- Choose two-three types of mushrooms and work with them.
- Select seasonal mushrooms, ask people who grow or work with medicinal mushrooms.
- Skin-skin contact.
WHO FOR / WITH WHOM¶
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For anyone who wants to improve their quality of life or regulate their health.
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Non-substitutive complementary therapy. People with some health disorder.
WHEN¶
Google Form¶
This is a Google Form which contains a Survey about some questions about the project that I want to develop.
Review´s feedback¶
Cecilia:
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wow! yes!!!
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ambitious but one of the few examples today that tackles biomaterials, from the material towards the use. brava, you found an amazing path i think.
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i think that maybe tatoos, bracelets, something that can be taken on off could be good if they transfer too much.
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i can share some researcg done on bacterial dyes and their properties after the sterilisation (was done by 2 chemistry/biotech labs we ocllaborated with between 2015-2019) - ping me if you are interested in this and i will ask them the docs.
Anastasia:
Angela:
- Many possibilities to explore with these kind of material. There are already human Tissues cultivation.
Louise:
- Such a big scope for your project it is really interesting ! Your project reminded me of the work Semi-human vases by Hongjie Yang.
Oscar:
- I would recommend to open up a bit the form and explore gels, foams, sponges, .... to be used or applied on the body. Be more experiemntal and try things on your body.