Diabetes drug may retard growth of cysts in polycystic kidney disease
November 12th, 2010 - 12:20 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Nov 12 (ANI): A new study has found that a drug usually used to treat diabetes may also retard the growth of fluid-filled cysts of the most common genetic disorder-polycystic kidney disease.
Researchers of the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic reported that pioglitazone appeared to control the growth of PKD cysts.
Using a rat model, the two research groups independently tested a pioglitazone treatment regimen and found that it slowed down both kidney and liver cyst growth by inhibiting a chloride channel in the cells of these organs.
Normally pioglitazone works by making the body more sensitive to its own insulin. However, in studying why this class of drugs causes fluid retention, it was found that it also inhibits a chloride channel.
“We thought that since this class of drugs inhibits the body’s chloride channels, then it would be a good candidate to treat PKD, a disease in which excessive chloride and water are transported into the cysts of the kidneys and the liver causing them to expand,” said Bonnie L. Blazer-Yost, of the IUPUI School of Science.
“The finding that pioglitazone, which has already been approved by the Food and, Drug Administration for diabetes can halt cyst progression and may be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for this chronic disease, is exciting,” he said.
The findings were published in the PPAR Research. (ANI)
- Metformin may protect against liver cancer - Apr 02, 2012
- Scientists discover potential new drug therapy for kidney diseases - Apr 27, 2011
- Side effects of popular diabetes drugs described - May 04, 2011
- Diabetes or lipid-lowering medications may help treat addiction - Apr 06, 2011
- Potential drug treatment for kidney disease found - Jan 26, 2010
- Synthetic hormone treatment reduces swollen livers - Aug 18, 2009
- Vitamin E may help treat common liver disease - May 01, 2010
- Molecular 'switch' that contributes to cellular aging process identified - Dec 01, 2010
- Link between obesity, insulin resistance paves way for safer diabetes drugs - Jul 22, 2010
- Vitamin E can fight fatty liver disease in kids - Apr 28, 2011
- Diabetes drug may boost power of anti-depressants - May 03, 2012
- Vitamin E helps cut fatty liver disease in kids - Apr 28, 2011
- Diabetes medication safe for Alzheimer's patients - Sep 14, 2010
- Micro-RNA that regulates insulin in obesity identified - Apr 01, 2011
- New ultrasound screening criteria for kidney disease proposed - Oct 22, 2008
Tags: chloride channel, chloride channels, chronic disease, common genetic disorder, cysts, diabetes drug, disease researchers, fluid retention, food and drug administration, indiana university purdue, iupui school, kidney disease, kidneys, liver cyst, mayo clinic, purdue university indianapolis, rat model, research groups, treatment regimen, yost