Scientists discover new drug candidates for cystic fibrosis and other diseases
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 - 09:30
in Health & Medicine
A new discovery by Californian scientists may lead to a pharmaceutical breakthrough for a wide range of illnesses that involve the hydration of cells that line the inner surfaces of our body's organs and tissues. In a new report appearing in the FASEB Journal, the researchers describe how they used high-throughput screening to identify small-molecule drug candidates which help cells bypass defective channels that normally move salt and water through cell membranes. These drug candidates work by activating an alternative chloride channel called "TMEM16A" that might be effective in treating conditions such as cystic fibrosis, dry eye and dry mouth diseases and slow-transit constipation.