What is Isradapine?

Answer 1

Answer

A few different drugs have been able to cross over and treat two different diseases at the same time. Evista, a drug for post-menopausal women for the treatment of osteoporosis has now been found to greatly decrease the risk of breast cancer. Such a feat has now been duplicated with Parksinson's disease with the drug Isradapine.

Isradapine is a drug that is a calcium-blocker that is marketed in Britain by Novartis as Prescal for the control of high blood pressure. Isradapine can correct the underlying problem in Parkinson's: the failure of brain cells to make dopamine.

Time reports of a recent study that proves Isradapine's efficacy, "In Nature online, a team led by James Surmeier reported that mice with a disease related to Parkinson's were rejuvenated by doses of isradipine. Tests showed that the mice, which had been genetically engineered to have a Parkinson's-like disease, resisted becoming ill and their dopamine-producing cells began to function as if they were younger. If the same was found to be true in human patients it could be a big advance in managing the disease."

Researchers hope that with further research and trials that Isradapine can be proven to help halt Parkinson's disease like baby aspirin can halt Heart disease. As more information become available we'll report on it, keep in touch.