Drug 'could stop muscle wasting'

Scientists claim to have discovered a way to "switch off" the mechanism that triggers muscle atrophy in immobile, bedridden patients using a simple drug treatment.

Muscle atrophy – the wasting away of muscle tissue – occurs as a result of the immobility and lack of exercise associated with many serious illnesses such as cancer and comatose conditions.

It is known to seriously compromise the well-being of the patient and reduce their chances of making a full recovery, making its prevention an important goal for doctors.

Now US scientists claim to have found the chemical trigger for muscle atrophy in the body, and furthermore have developed a way of switching it off to stop the muscles wasting away as a result of the inactivity.

According to lead-researcher Amber Pond of Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine, a protein present in the muscle is responsible for the atrophy, and its activity can be blocked with the use of certain drugs.

"We have discovered a direct link between atrophy and a protein in the skeletal muscle, which led us to develop methods that would block the protein's ability to cause atrophy," Ms Pond said.

"Through drug treatment, we were able to block atrophy, allowing muscle to retain 97 per cent of its original fibre size."

However, the drug – Astemizole – is currently unsafe to be used on humans, due to concerns over its effects on heart function, meaning that alternatives will need to be developed.

© Adfero Ltd