IIT Kanpur researchers reveal new insights to develop cholesterol lowering drugs with minimal side-effects

The research done by IIT Kanpur experts has the potential to lead to the development of new drugs that can lower cholesterol with lesser side-effects.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur have revealed new insights into understanding how cholesterol-lowering drugs like Niacin work at a molecular level.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) have revealed new insights into understanding how cholesterol-lowering drugs like Niacin work at a molecular level. The research has the potential to lead to the development of new drugs to lower cholesterol with fewer side effects.

According to a press release issued by the institute, the team of researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering led by Prof. Arun K. Shukla, were able to visualize the key target receptor molecule activated by Niacin and other related drugs. The research has the potential to lead to the development of new drugs to lower cholesterol with fewer side effects.

The findings of the research have been published in the international journal, Nature Communications, the release informed.

Speaking on the research, Prof. Shukla explained that Niacin is a commonly prescribed drug to lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing good cholesterol. “In many patients, the drug causes side effects such as skin redness and itching, referred to as flushing response. This leads to patients stopping their treatment with adverse effects on their cholesterol levels,” he added.

Prof. Shukla highlighted that the visualization of the receptor molecules with Niacin at the molecular level lays the groundwork for creating new drugs that maintain efficacy while minimizing undesirable reactions, adding that the results will help in developing related drugs for cholesterol and drugs for other conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Prof. S. Ganesh, Director of IIT Kanpur, termed the research as an important breakthrough as it deepens the understanding of drug-receptor interactions and opens new avenues for the design of better therapeutic agents.

Notably, the study has been supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). The research team includes Dr Manish Yadav, Parishmita Sarma, Jagannath Maharana, Manisankar Ganguly, Sudha Mishra, Annu Dalal, Nashrah Zaidi, Sayantan Saha, Gargi Mahajan, Vinay Singh, Saloni Sharma, and Dr Ramanuj Banerjee, spearheaded by Prof Shukla.