WASHINGTON [USA], January 3 (ANI): FDA-approved treatment for erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, sildenafil, is a promising drug candidate to help Prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The research has been published in the Journal of Natural Aging.

Using a large database of claims data from more than 7 million people in the United States, the research team examined the association between sildenafil and Alzheimer's disease outcomes by comparing sildenafil users and non-users. The analysis included patients on the comparator drug who were either in active Alzheimer's clinical trials (losartan or metformin) or had not been reported to be associated with the disease (diltiazem or glimepiride).

They found that after 6 years of follow-up, sildenafil users were 69 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than non-sildenafil users. Specifically, sildenafil was associated with a 55% reduction in risk compared to losartan, a 63% reduction compared to metformin, a 65% reduction compared to diltiazem, and a reduction compared to glimepiride 64%.

To further explore the effects of sildenafil on Alzheimer's disease, the researchers used stem cells to develop a model of brain cells derived from Alzheimer's patients. In this model, they found that sildenafil increased brain cell growth and decreased the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein (a hallmark that leads to neurofibrillary tangles), providing insight into how sildenafil affects disease-related brain changes. biological insights.

"Because our findings only established an association between sildenafil use and a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease, we are now planning a mechanistic trial and a phase II randomized clinical trial to examine cause and effect. and confirm the clinical benefit of sildenafil in Alzheimer's disease patients. We also envision our approach being applied to other neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, to accelerate the drug discovery process, " said Dr. Cheng. (ANI)