Indian scientists find drugs with potential to treat neurodegenerative disorders

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) A team of scientists at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has found drugs with potential to treat neurodegenerative disorders -- a major global health challenge.

In the study, published in the Journal Drug Discovery Today, the team highlighted the potential of peptidomimetics to treat neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, by promoting neuronal growth and survival.

Peptidomimetic drugs -- or synthetic molecules that mimic the structure of natural proteins -- can be repurposed to provide an effective therapeutic strategy to treat neurodegenerative diseases by promoting neuronal growth and survival.

While neurotrophins, proteins crucial for neuronal survival and function, have shown promise as potential treatments, their instability and rapid degradation have hindered their therapeutic application.

IASST scientists have been exploring peptidomimetics, synthetic compounds designed to mimic neurotrophins, as a potential solution to these limitations.

"Neurotrophin peptidomimetics are developed to target specific biological functions and can be valuable tools in drug discovery, especially when natural peptides have limitations like poor oral bioavailability or susceptibility to degradation," said the team led by Prof. Ashis K. Mukherjee.

"One of the significant advantages of peptidomimetics is their improved stability and bioavailability compared to endogenous neurotrophins. This means they can be delivered more effectively to the brain and maintain their therapeutic activity for a longer duration," the team added.

In addition, peptidomimetics can be designed to be more specific to their target receptors, reducing the risk of side effects.

The research focused on understanding the signaling pathways involved in neuronal growth and survival, the potential pharmacological targets of peptidomimetics, and their therapeutic applications for neurodegenerative diseases.

The team also explored the possibility of repurposing existing peptidomimetic drugs for other diseases, such as cancer, and the potential for developing new drug prototypes based on neurotrophins mimetics.

As research progresses, the team said that peptidomimetics could become a key therapeutic strategy, offering new hope for managing and treating neurodegenerative disorders for future generations.

--IANS

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