In a recent research made public in an open-access, peer-reviewed journal Bone Research, scientists from Japan set up a new drug test system and determined a promising compound to cure age-related losses in muscle mass and bone density.
Locomotor system and ageing
Muscles and bones are closely connected with each other. Different muscle diseases caused by mutations in a person’s genes prove this link: disease-led muscle wasting results in problems in the bone structure, which makes many people agree on operations including joint replacement procedures, revision joint surgery, debridement, spinal fusion, bone fusion, soft tissue repair, internal fixation of bones and osteotomy.
Ageing is also featured by muscle and bone deteriοration, which often appear together. It is recommended that in both locomotor system diseases and ageing, physical activity is an essential approach to avoid future problems, however, the truth is that it is hardly a workable solution.
In this study, the scientists tried to find drugs covering both multi-system impairment associated with increased vulnerability to stressors, related to age. They stated that the majority of medicines are being designed for sole condition, making people take many drugs simultaneously. The results of such therapy include an increase in the likelihood of negative-impact drug interacting.
Drug testing system
In the initial phase of the research, the scientists set up a drug testing system by applying three types of cells:
- bοne-building,
- bοne-degrading, and
- muscle.
It is suggested that to show full efficiency in curing muscle deterioration, a medicine has to launch more intensive muscle cell production. However, loss in muscle mass and strength goes along with a higher activity of bone-degrading cells, leading to fast resorption of bones, and low activity of bone-building cells; as a result, bone is forming slowly. Thus, a workable medicine is expected to make these types of cells balanced.
Almost 300 substances were screened in the initial testing using muscle cells. It permitted the scientists to choose 8 that showed the best results in boosting the prοliferation and differentiatiοn of these cells. These mixtures were then shown to spur bone-building cell production as well. Among them, one item, lοcamidazole, had the most vigorous effect on both muscle and bone-building cells as well as holding back the generation of bone-degrading cells. That was the reason it was selected for further research.
In-vivo analyses proved the efficiency of this drug for enhancing muscle and bone conditions: the mouse model on which the experiment was held evidenced better muscle condition and growth, as well as denser bone tissues.
Final thoughts
The condition of reduced mobility due to the impairment of locomotive organs has been considered by scientists in many countries since those affected with it have a likelihood of becoming confined to bed. Physical activities can be an efficient cure for frailty, however, it cannot be used in each particular case. Medicines feature more safety than for example, sports. As they, if taken several at once, boost the likelihood of adverse conditions, there is a necessity for medicine covering both tissues. Locamidazole (LAMZ) is a solution for this problem: it is a full-of-promise drug for locomotor system problems, including deteriοration of muscles and bones.
