Viagra and Other Male Anti Impotency Drugs Could Treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Viagra and similar types of drugs which have been used for treating male impotence could find use for treating a rare form of muscular degenerative disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a very debilitating disease and affects 1 in every 3600 male infants. The disease progresses quickly and rarely the patient live beyond 30 years. There is no known cure for the disease.

The rare disease is still waiting for its only known drug to treat the disease and it is known as ‘Eteplirsen’. Eteplirsen has been sent for FDA-approval by its drug manufacturer, Sarepta Therapeutics. The company has said that it is working with FDA to fast track the approval process.

Whatever happens to the new drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and its approval, there is news and hope for the patients of the disease. Health experts have reported that anti- impotency drugs like Viagra and Cialis has been found to be effective in improving blood flow in persons suffering from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The health experts opine that the drugs can slow the onset of the debilitating disease but it will not bring any improvement in the walking abilities.

10 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and were suffering blood flow problems were selected for the study by the Cedars-Sinai Institute in Los Angeles. Every subject was given a single dose of Sidenefil or its other derivative Tadalafil. It was observed that the blood flow was restored to a healthy level.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Ronald Victor, told BBC News, “If you can restore the blood flow you might be able to slow the disease progression, but not cure it.”