New Treatment for Age-related Macular Degeneration Within Sight
Working together, researchers from Harvard University and Japan discovered that the experimental drug, endostatin, may cure or stop age-related macular degeneration.
While the research studies proved a positive relationship between endostatin and age-related macular degeneration, clinical studies using actual patients are still necessary.
Endostatin works by slowing or stopping the formation of abnormal blood vessels. These abnormal blood vessels can supply blood to cancerous tumors, so endostatin is currently being used experimentally in cancer research.
Age-related macular degeneration causes problems with blood vessels. They can leak, bleed and cause scarring, which eventually contributes to rapid loss of vision.
Endostatin is a type of protein that is found in collagen. Our bodies produce collagen. Researchers already knew that consuming extra collagens (to get endostatin) did not have any effect on age-related macular degeneration or cancerous tumors.
The researchers used mice that did not have any endostatin that occurred naturally. After giving endostatin to these mice, researchers determined that the endostatin eliminated or made significant reductions in abnormal blood vessel growth that occurred in their eyes.
Again, this abnormal blood vessel growth is what causes blindness. By treating the mice with endostatin, the abnormal growth was slowed or stopped which means that age-related macular degeneration was reduced or eliminated.
"With Baby Boomers reaching advanced ages, new treatments are desperately needed to keep age-related macular degeneration from becoming a national epidemic. This research provides hope for those at risk for blindness, and it gives everyone another glimpse of how investments in molecular biology will ultimately pay off in terms of new treatments and cures," said Gerald Weissmann, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Journal.
About age-related macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration usually affects someone's ability to see the fine details first. Initially these changes may be so subtle that people do not really recognize their limitations. It continues to progress until it destroys the ability to see sharply. Eventually it leads to blindness.
Risk factors for age-related macular degeneration
Some of the risk factors include age, family history of this disease, gender (women seem to be at higher risk than men), and race (Caucasians are more likely to have this than African Americans).
Sources:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/foas-ntf112907.php
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/agerelatedmaculardegeneration/causesandriskfactors/01.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration
Published by Patty Oh
A self-employed writer and speaker, Patty has eclectic interests. She loves long road trips and the silence of swimming. An avid reader and SEO writer, she is also available for hire. View profile
What Are Your Odds of Developing a Deadly Blood Clot?Changing your lifestyle and other factors to prevent a deadly blood clot. Taking a look at a wider variety of methods besides the commonly published artciles that only focus on...- Blood in Stool: What It Means and What To DoBlood in bowel movement can be scary for anybody. However, it is important to understand that there are many reasons for bloody stool. The reasons range from benign to life-threatening.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A Disorder Characterized by Abnormal Flexibility...Overview of the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and management of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. A syndrome affecting connective tissue and leading to abnormal skin stretching, joint flex...
About Diabetic RetinopathyDiabetic retinopathy, damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye, is caused by uncontrolled diabetes. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are susceptible to the condi...
Bayer HealthCare Announces Testing to Begin on Product to Help Those wit...Age-related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in adults over 60 years of age.
- Macular Degeneration: Leading Cause of Blindness
- Varicocele Embolization Treatment for Dilated Blood Vessels in the Scrotrum
- Diagnosis and Treatment on Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Scientists at MIT Discover that Blood Might Help Humans Think
- Prevent Blood Clotting by Taking Some of the Effective Herbal Remedy, Butcher's Broom
- Foods that Naturally Reduce Blood Pressure
- Blind Mice Cured with Cell Transplants
9 Comments
Post a CommentThis is a wonderful article!!..thanks for the share!
Wouldn't this be great?
How promising.
Thanks! This is good to know. My dad had Macular Degeneration to the extent that he was virtually blind by the time he died. Now his younger brother is in the same shape. I should probably be checking into preventive meds as well as new drugs like this. I wish they'd get it tested in time to help my uncle.
Thanks guys :) My mom lost the majority of her eyesight due to emergency brain surgery a few years ago... but I've seen tons of her friends get AMD. Harriet, I'll have to ask the doc, and I wonder if the stuff your family member takes might help, Sussy. I'll check into it, too.
Good article. My 80-yr-old mother has Mac-D, as we affectionately call it. Aspirin has been linked to Mac-D, so she quit taking her daily aspirin and started on Premier Formula for Ocular Nutrition, which we affectionately call her 'high-octane vitamins.' That was a year ago. At her last exam in November, the eye doc said there is no progression -- he used the words "fabulous" and "excellent" in describing what he saw. She's to continue the vitamin plan, stay off aspirin and see him in a year. (Up til now she's been seeing him every 6 months.) She has the dry kind of Mac-D.
I am hoping they will come up with a way to remove the scarring on the back of the eye altogether. I have lost nearly all my front vision due to the scarring and leaky blood vessels in the central part of my left retina. I was offered an injection to stop or slow the problem. I decided not to even go there. Too much loss.
Anyhow, if you hear of a way they can remove the scarring and help one to get back their eyesight let me know!!
Nice recap,this is great news.
Patty, you write great health articles. This medication is new to me. Since my family have Macular Degeneration, my Dr. prescribed Lutea for me as a preventative drug.