Scientists from the University of Arizona have found that the drug lasmiditan, which is used to treat migraines, could be the first treatment for acute kidney injury. The results are published in the American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology .
Acute kidney failure occurs in approximately 8-16% of hospitalized people, i.e. approximately 13 million people worldwide. The condition can be caused by various factors, including certain medications and sepsis (blood poisoning). There is currently no treatment for acute kidney injury, only supportive care.
The scientists found that lasmiditan restored some kidney function when administered to mice with kidney damage. The drug stimulated the formation of new mitochondria – cellular structures responsible for energy production in cells. Also, the condition of the renal vessels improved in animals, fibrosis (scarring) and damage to the proximal tubules of the kidneys decreased.
Lasmiditan is already being used to treat migraines, so clinical trials will take less time than developing drugs from scratch. More research is needed, but the authors believe that lasmiditan could be the first treatment for acute kidney injury.
