A potential drug developed by British scientists, so far called MitoSNO, may reduce tissue damage after a heart attack, stroke or major surgery, reports Nature Medicine.
In the case of a heart attack, stroke and surgery (when large blood vessels are tightened for fear of hemorrhage) one of the main problems is cell damage. It occurs when blood flows back into the tissues deprived of oxygen for some time. Then, harmful free radicals are produced inside the mitochondria, which act as energy centers in cells.
The potential drug, so far named MitoSNO, was developed by a team led by Dr. Mike Murphy from the Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit. MitoSNO turns off the mitochondrial activity for a few minutes, which prevents the production of free radicals.
During tests on mice – heart attacks, it was shown that the test substance protects the heart in a situation where blood circulation is restored after transient hypoxia. If clinical trials in humans are successful, a whole new class of drugs could emerge. They would be administered to post-infarction patients as soon as blood supply to the heart muscle has been restored by routine means. Such measures should largely prevent heart failure. (PAP)
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