Khaberni - Researchers have made a discovery that could be a game-changer in the treatment of liver diseases, after discovering that using two common drugs together can reverse non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a condition that occurs when excess fats accumulate inside the liver.
Scientists found that combining Pemafibrate (commonly used in Japan to treat high cholesterol) and Telmisartan (used to lower high blood pressure) significantly reduces fat accumulation.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain, and its results were published in the journal Pharmacological Research in July, as reported by the British newspaper Daily Mail.
The researchers, who conducted their tests on mice and zebrafish, found that this combination could reduce complications from cardiovascular diseases.
Experts described the results - according to the Daily Mail - as significant, stating that the use of this drug duo may be a safer and more effective option than currently limited treatment choices.
Reducing Fat Accumulation
Professor Marta Allegret, an expert in pharmacy and food sciences at the University of Barcelona and co-author of the study, stated that this combination is beneficial not only for liver diseases, but also "lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, all of which could lead to a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases."
She added: "The mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases is high among patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease, and these patients often have these two risk factors combined."
In the study, scientists assessed the effectiveness of Pemafibrate and Telmisartan on metabolic dysfunction-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease when taken together and separately.
They found that when taken together, the drugs reverse the fat accumulation in the liver caused by a diet high in fats and fructose, a sugar naturally found in fruits and vegetables and honey, and added to products like sodas, sweets, and processed foods.
During tests conducted on mice, researchers also discovered that a combination of half a dose of Pemafibrate and half a dose of Telmisartan was as effective as a full dose of either drug in reducing fat accumulation.
