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