Potential cancer drug effective for asthma as well
A drug that is currently being tested for treating cancer can prove to be an effective treatment option for asthma as well, as per a research.
This drug could be effective to kill specific immune cells that are able to exacerbate asthma symptoms, according to scientists at the University of Edinburgh.
From Sciencedaily.com:
Eosinophils, found in the lungs and airways, help the body fight off parasitic infection. However, too many uncontrolled eosinophils can damage other cells that line the lung, contributing to inflammatory conditions such as asthma.
Researchers found that use of the drug caused the eosinophil cells to undergo a form of cell death known as apoptosis, a natural process where unwanted cells are removed from the body.
Professor Adriano Rossi, of the Centre for Inflammation Research at the University of Edinburgh who directed the study, said: “Steroids are commonly used to treat asthma but can have unwanted side-effects, while some asthma patients are also resistant to steroid treatment. It may well be that use of a drug, such as R-Roscovitine, or one that works in a similar same way, could offer an alternative to steroids, or be used in conjunction with steroid treatment for asthma patients.”
The finding is considered to provide an alternative to treat asthmatic patients who show resistance to steroids, which are routinely prescribed in asthma treatments.
