Zocor curbs smoking-related lung damage, in rats
Posted on: Monday, 31 October 2005, 23:30 CST
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Treatment with the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin, better known as Zocor, can inhibit the lung damage that occurs with smoking-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to findings from an animal study.
In addition to blocking the formation of cholesterol, "statin" drugs have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, as well as other benefits for blood vessels. In theory, all of these effects could help counter the lung damage caused by cigarette smoking.
To investigate, Dr. Sang-Do Lee, from Asan Medical Center in Seoul, Korea, and colleagues examined the lungs of rats exposed or not exposed to cigarette smoke while being treated with or without simvastatin for 16 weeks.
The researchers' findings are reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
In addition to blocking lung tissue destruction and high blood pressure in the lungs' circulation, simvastatin inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells into pulmonary tissue. As anticipated, the drug also had beneficial effects on blood vessels.
"Taken together, these findings indicate that statins could potentially play a role in the treatment of cigarette smoking-induced COPD," the researchers conclude.
SOURCE: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, October 15, 2005.
Source: REUTERS
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User Comments (2)
| 2. |
Posted by mark on 05/10/2007, 08:33 hello |
| 1. |
Posted by jim power on 12/12/2006, 14:59 Could this possible help with COPD not cause from smoking ?. My wife is waiting for a double lung now . |
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