Sildenafil and other phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors may delay or even reverse cardiac damage associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, according to animal research reported in the May 13 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Christine Des Rosiers and colleagues point out that absence of dystrophin causes the weakness and muscle wasting of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, as well as cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure. Previous research has shown that nitric oxide (NO)signalling is defective in mice that are used as a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and so anything that improves this signalling could prevent the muscle hypertrophy that is characteristic of the disease. Sildenafil works by interfering with an enzyme that that reduces levels of cGMP - a messenger that can overcome defective NO signalling.

Researchers injected six-week old mice models of muscular dystrophy with sildenafil daily for six weeks and compared them with controls. Those treated with sildenafil showed improved contractility in their heart muscle.

[15 May 2008 06:12]

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