Suspended Animation Drug Could Extend Time in Emergencies

In a medical emergency, timely treatment is essential. However, a commonly used drug could be repurposed to induce a hibernation-like state, slowing organ damage and extending the time available to get patients to a hospital, potentially saving lives.

Medical professionals often emphasize the ‘Golden Hour‘ following a traumatic injury. Though it’s not literally one hour, the idea is that quicker medical intervention significantly improves a patient’s chances of survival.

This poses a significant challenge for emergencies far from medical facilities. However, a new study from Harvard’s Wyss Institute proposes a method to extend the so-called Golden Hour by putting patients into “biostasis,” which slows down their metabolism and helps prevent permanent organ damage.

Researchers Use NeMoCad Algorithm to Identify Torpor-Inducing Compounds, Highlight Donepezil as a Candidate

The researchers employed an algorithm called NeMoCad to analyze compound structures and identify those that might induce a hibernation-like state known as torpor. The study highlighted donepezil (DNP), an FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatment, as a potential candidate.

“Interestingly, overdoses of DNP in Alzheimer’s patients have led to symptoms similar to torpor, such as drowsiness and a slower heart rate,” said María Plaza Oliver, the study’s lead author.

“This is the first study that aims to harness these effects as a primary clinical response, rather than as side effects.”

Testing DNP’s Torpor-Inducing Effects

The team tested DNP’s torpor-inducing potential on tadpoles, observing reduced oxygen consumption, heart rate, and swimming activity—three indicators of torpor.

However, when administered as free particles, the drug caused toxicity by accumulating in various tissues. To address this, the researchers encapsulated DNP in lipid nanoparticles, which targeted the brain tissue, reduced toxicity, and still achieved the desired torpor-like state.

Tadpole Tests Differ from Human Trials, Further Research Needed

The findings are promising, though testing on tadpoles is quite different from testing on humans. More research is needed to understand exactly how DNP induces torpor, but the testing process might be more straightforward compared to many new drugs, as DNP has been used clinically in humans for nearly 30 years.

“Donepezil has been used globally for decades, so its properties and production methods are well-known,” said Donald Ingber, the senior author of the study. “The lipid nanocarriers we used are also approved for clinical use in other contexts. This study shows that an encapsulated version of the drug could potentially provide critical time for patients with severe injuries and illnesses, and it could be formulated and produced quickly compared to developing a new drug.”

Additionally, other research has explored using ultrasound pulses to induce a torpor-like state in specific brain regions, with applications ranging from enhancing surgical outcomes to potentially aiding astronauts in long-duration space travel by inducing ‘hyper sleep‘.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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