New hope for asthma allergy treatment

Thursday August 13th, 2009

Drugs under development for diabetes may offer a radical new treatment to prevent asthma attacks sparked by allergies, researchers have reported.

Scientists say that a single enzyme plays a critical role in these attacks.

Laboratory studies have shown that the new drugs may successfully treat severe asthma caused by substances such as ragweed.

The enzyme is called aldose reductase.

Writing in the journal PLoS One, Professor Satish Srivastava, of the University of Texas, Galveston, USA, reports on trials of aldose reductase inhibitors - which have been developed for diabetes - in laboratory studies of mice.

The researchers began the asthma study after exploring the role of the enzyme in a range of diseases aggravated by inflammation.

Professor Srivastava is now keen to begin clinical trials with asthma patients.

He said: "If these drugs work as well in humans as they do in animals you could administer them either orally or in a single puff from an inhaler and get long-lasting results."

PLoS One August 6 2009

Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Diabetes | North America

Printer friendly page