London: Researchers have discovered a
potential new drug that reduces the number of
brain cells destroyed by stroke and then helps to repair the
damage.
A reduction in blood flow to the
brain caused by stroke is a major cause of death and disability and there are few
effective treatments, researchers said.
Scientists at University of Manchester in
the UK have now found that a potential new stroke drug not only works in rodents by limiting the death of
existing brain cells but also by promoting the birth of new neurones.
This
finding provides further support for the development of this anti-inflammatory
drug, interleukin-1receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), as a new
treatment for stroke.
The drug is already licensed for use in
humans for some conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers found that in rodents with a
stroke, there is not only reduced brain damage early on after the stroke, but several days later increased
numbers of new neurones, when treated with the anti-inflammat-ory
drug IL-1Ra. Previous attempts to find a drug to prevent brain damage after
stroke have proved unsuccessful and
this new research offers the possibility of a new treatment. Importantly, the use of IL-1Ra might be
better than other failed drugs in stroke as it not only limits the initial damage
to brain cells, but also helps the brain repair itself long-term through the
generation of new brain cells.
These
new cells are thought to help restore function to areas of the brain damaged by
the stroke. Earlier work by
the same group showed that treatment with IL-1Ra does indeed help rodents
regain motor skills that were initially
lost after a stroke.
Early stage clinical trials in stroke
patients also suggest that IL-1Ra could be beneficial.
“The
results lend further strong support to the use of IL-1Ra in the treatment of
stroke, however further large trials
are necessary,” said Professor Stuart Allan, who led the study.
The research was published in the journal
Brain, Behaviour and Immunity. –PTI
