Blood pressure drug fights MD in mice

[The Straight Story]

Blood pressure drug fights MD in mice

BALTIMORE, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have found a drug commonly used to lower blood pressure can reverse muscle wasting in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The John Hopkins University researchers also found it has a similar effect on genetically engineered mice with Marfan syndrome.

A team led by Dr. Harry Dietz discovered treating Marfan mice with losartan (Cozaar) dramatically strengthens the major artery carrying blood from the heart and prevented enlargement and risk of the artery bursting. A clinical trial to assess how effective losartan is for treating people with Marfan is to start within weeks.

"In addition to the aortic defect, children with severe Marfan syndrome often have very small, weak muscles, and adults with Marfan often can't gain muscle mass despite adequate nutrition and exercise," explained Dietz, a professor of genetic medicine.

http://www.newsdaily.com/Science/UPI-1-20070122-17043700-bc-us-musculardystrophy-crn.xml