NewKerala.com, Aug. 12, 2009
This study led by UTMB's Satish Srivastava continues to receive international media attention. Researchers found that a single enzyme is apparently critical to most allergen-provoked asthma attacks - and that activity of the enzyme, known as aldose reductase, can be significantly reduced by compounds that have already undergone clinical trials as treatments for complications of diabetes. "Oral administration of aldose reductase inhibitors works effectively in experimental animals. If these drugs work as well in humans as they do in animals you could administer them either orally or in a single puff from an inhaler and get long-lasting results," Srivastava said.