Research: Drug used 6 hours after stroke reduces brain cell death and prevents paralysis

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide after heart disease. Now, researchers have developed a drug that can significantly reduce the brain damage caused by stroke.

In a study recently published in the scientific journal iScience , Japanese researchers have invented a drug that can block a protein that causes nerve cell death, dramatically reducing paralysis and brain cell loss in mice, according to the science news site Scitech Daily.

Even better, it doesn’t cause worrying side effects and has the potential to treat other neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s. This could be a game changer in stroke treatment, and more.

Japanese researchers have invented a drug that can block a protein that causes nerve cell death, helping stroke patients - Photo: AI

Protecting brain cells, good news for stroke patients

When a stroke occurs, millions of brain cells die in just 1 minute. To prevent the cells from dying, a research team led by Professor Hidemitsu Nakajima, from Osaka Metropolitan University (Japan), has developed a drug that inhibits a protein involved in the cell death process.

The multifunctional protein GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) is a factor that causes many difficult-to-treat brain and nervous system diseases. To inhibit the formation of this substance, the research team developed GAI-17, which is capable of inhibiting GAPDH aggregation. When used in a mouse model of acute stroke, this substance significantly reduced the rate of brain cell death and paralysis compared to untreated mice.

GAI-17 also did not cause any worrying side effects, such as those affecting the heart or cerebrovascular system. Furthermore, trials showed that the drug was still effective when given up to six hours after a stroke.

Prospects for GAI-17 Therapy

Professor Nakajima said: The GAPDH aggregation inhibitor developed by the research team is expected to be a unique drug that can treat many difficult-to-treat neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. In the future, the team will test the effectiveness of this drug for diseases other than stroke and promote further practical studies, according to Scitech Daily.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nghien-cuu-thuoc-dung-6-tieng-sau-dot-quy-giam-chet-te-bao-nao-tranh-liet-1852507202238088.htm