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[메디컬투데이=한지혁 기자] Certain types of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be effective in preventing chronic kidney disease.

A study on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on chronic kidney disease was published in the British Medical Journal (The BMJ).

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disease that affects about 850 million people, accounting for more than 10% of the world’s population. It is more common in the elderly and has risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

Damage to kidney tissue can occur over a long period of time and is often asymptomatic in the early stages. As the disease progresses, the kidneys eventually become unable to remove excess water and salt, resulting in edema, which can cause serious problems in many parts of the body.

Managing blood pressure and blood sugar is important for maintaining kidney health, and weight management through exercise and diet is also known to be effective. According to the results of a recent animal study, sufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids may also benefit kidney function.

In this study, an Australian research team analyzed data from a total of 19 studies conducted in 12 countries to evaluate the association between long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) and chronic kidney disease.

A total of 25,570 participants were included in the study, and their ages ranged from 49 to 77 years. 4944 patients, or 19.3% of the total, were diagnosed with chronic kidney disease during an average follow-up of 11 years.

After a detailed analysis of the participants’ diets and nutritional intake, the researchers found that participants with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids derived from seafood had an 8% lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

The omega-3 fatty acids that showed relevance were ‘eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)’, ‘docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)’, and ‘docosapentaenoic acid (DPA)’ respectively.

Experts responded positively to the results of this study, but cautioned patients suffering from chronic kidney disease about omega-3 intake. In particular, special attention is required in that major sources of omega-3 fatty acids contain a large amount of phosphorus, which is fatal to patients with chronic kidney disease.

On the other hand, plant-derived omega-3s, such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is mainly found in nuts and seeds, had no significant effect on the risk of chronic kidney disease.

Medical Today Reporter Han Ji-hyeok (hanjh3438@mdtoday.co.kr)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

[메디컬투데이=최재백 기자] Research has shown that the cough medicine Ambroxol may help treat Parkinson’s disease.

Research results suggesting that the cough medicine ambroxol can help treat Parkinson’s disease have been published in ‘2020 JAMA Neurology’.

Ambroxol is a cough medicine for clearing phlegm and clearing the throat. It has been used as an over-the-counter medicine in more than 50 countries for over 30 years, but it has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to a study published in the Journal of Blood Chemistry in 2009, ambroxol is effective in increasing GCase protein levels in patients with Gaucher’s disease.

GCase protein is a protein involved in removing protein debris in the body, and experts claim that it is also effective in removing alpha-synuclein protein, which causes Parkinson’s disease.

The GBA1 gene corresponds to a genetic risk factor for Parkinson’s disease and is known to be involved in the synthesis of GCase enzymes. Studies have shown that GCase activity is reduced in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients, regardless of whether or not they have a GBA1 mutation.

The research team said they were immersed in using ambroxol as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease after it was discovered that it had the effect of increasing GCase levels.

The research team said that it proved the safety of Ambroxol in this phase 2 clinical trial.

They administered ambroxol in increasing doses from January 11, 2017 to April 25, 2018 to 17 patients with Parkinson’s disease, with an average age of 60.2 years. The test results were analyzed.

The initial dose of ambroxol was 60 milligrams (mg), and the dose was gradually increased each day to a final dose of 1.26 grams (g).

The research team examined the patients’ cerebrospinal fluid at the start of the study and on day 186, and performed an optional lumbar puncture on day 279.

As a result of the study, the researchers found that Ambroxol crossed the blood-brain barrier and increased the patients’ GCase levels by 35%.

The research team said it plans to start a phase 3 clinical trial early this year. They explained that the Phase 3 clinical trial would recruit 330 Parkinson’s disease patients, regardless of GBA1 gene mutation, from 10 to 12 locations in the UK, and that they would take Ambroxol daily for two years.

Experts are concerned that cough medicines can induce sedation and increase the risk of falls in some people with Parkinson’s disease, and cautioned that more data should be waited for.

Medical Today Reporter Jaebaek Choi (jaebaekchoi@naver.com)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

[메디컬투데이=한지혁 기자] A study has been published showing that a drug developed as a treatment for mental illness showed a blood sugar lowering effect.

A study published in the journal Diabetes suggests that a type of antipsychotic drug may be effective in treating type 2 diabetes.

Many patients with type 2 diabetes are taking the first-line drug ‘metformin’ or other diabetes medications to lower blood sugar. However, about one-third of all type 2 diabetic patients may not get sufficient effects from metformin due to various factors.

In addition to metformin, these patients show low responsiveness to a variety of drugs that improve glycemic control by increasing insulin secretion.

Experts say, “Developing new treatments to improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, along with lifestyle and diet changes, could have a key impact on improving health outcomes for people with diabetes.” has been paraphrasing

However, the development of new drugs requires a long time and astronomical costs. In comparison, using an existing drug that has already gone through the approval process for a new purpose is much quicker and simpler.

In 2020, the results of a mouse study dealing with the association between an enzyme called ‘SCOT (succinyl CoA: 3-ketoacid CoA transferase)’ and high blood sugar were announced. The research team who conducted the study later proved that ‘pimozide’, a drug corresponding to ‘diphenylbutylpiperidine (DPBP)’, lowers the expression of SCOT and helps normalize blood sugar levels. did.

Subsequent analysis using computer modeling further found that all types of DPBP drugs could inhibit the expression of SCOT.

Unlike conventional diabetes drugs, which generally lower blood sugar by increasing insulin levels, drugs with this mechanism could lead to new treatment options for type 2 diabetes.

In the normal human body, the SCOT enzyme helps the body use ‘ketones’ as an alternative fuel in situations where glucose is scarce. Suppressing the expression of SCOT may cause various side effects by interfering with the use of this reserve energy source.

The researchers acknowledge the risk of these side effects, and note that more research is needed to understand the long-term consequences of inhibiting the SCOT enzyme. They also added that blood ketone levels in patients taking DPBP drugs should be monitored closely.

DPBP drugs are antipsychotic drugs that target dopamine receptors located in the brain. Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and fatigue.

The researchers said they plan to investigate whether the structure of the drug can be altered so that DPBP does not work in the brain and inhibits the SCOT enzyme everywhere in the body except in the brain. If these attempts are successful, not only can various neurological side effects be prevented, but also safer and more effective treatment can be achieved because the brain can use ketones as needed.

Medical Today Reporter Han Ji-hyeok (hanjh3438@mdtoday.co.kr)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]