THE ESSENTIAL
- Physical inactivity is associated with cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes.
- Osteoporosis is two to three times more common in women than in men, due to menopause.
- Muscle mass develops until the age of 20-30. It then declines by about 1% per year, even in healthy adults.
“Modern lifestyle in developed countries has resulted in a pattern of insufficient physical activity”, said researchers from the University of Medicine and Dentistry in Tokyo (Japan). In a statement, they explain that people who do not exercise see their muscles and bones weaken. This is called locomotor frailty.
“Physical activity cannot be applied to all clinical cases. Drug treatments can be useful to treat sarcopenia (a weakening of the muscles) and osteoporosis, especially when patients suffer from cerebrovascular diseases, dementia or when they are already bedridden. Nevertheless, taking medication increases the risk of adverse effects, so it is necessary to have a single treatment targeting both tissues simultaneously”, wrote the scientists.
Locamidazole stimulates the growth of muscle and bone cells
In a study published in the journal Bone Research, the team developed a new screening system to identify a compound that mimics muscle and bone changes that occur after physical exercise. They managed to identify locamidazole (LAMZ), which is able to stimulate the growth of muscle cells and osteoblasts, the cells responsible for bone formation.
To test the effectiveness of this compound, the authors conducted an experiment with mice with sarcopenia and osteoporosis. They administered it orally. “We found that mice treated with locamidazole had greater muscle fiber width, greater muscle strength, and a higher rate of bone formation,” said Takehito Ono, lead author of the work.
“A promising drug for locomotor diseases”
In addition, scientists found that locamidazole mimics calcium and PGC-1α (a protein) signaling pathways. These pathways are activated during physical exertion and stimulate the expression of molecules involved in strengthening muscles and bones. “Thus, LAMZ is a promising drug for locomotor diseases, including sarcopenia and osteoporosis,” concluded the researchers.
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