Viagra raises hopes of jet lag cure
BUENOS AIRES – Viagra could be used to help people flying from Europe to Asia recover from jetlag, animal research suggests.
A team of Argentine scientists found the drug helped hamsters recover up to 50% faster from forward shifts in their daily time cycles.
However, the drug only worked in conjunction with light therapy, and only in one time direction – the equivalent to flying eastbound.
In mammals, the light-dark cycle regulates the body’s biological clock, which promotes activity during the daytime, when it is light, and sleep at night.
The researchers from the National University of Quilmes shifted the light-dark cycle of hamsters six hours forwards, by switching on lights six hours earlier than usual.
They then monitored the hamsters’ running wheel activity to assess when their body clocks had adjusted to the new time cycle – the hamsters are active in the day but stop running when the lights go out.
Injection of Viagra before the time shift meant the hamsters adjusted to the new time cycle faster, even when low doses of the drug, which did not cause penile erections, were used.
Viagra was originally developed for the treatment of high blood pressure and angina, and is used to treat erectile dysfunction.
When used without the shifts in light, the drug did not induce changes in the hamsters’ activity, so it seems to work by enhancing the light-induced response.
Dr Diego Golumbek, who led the research, said the fact that different mechanisms may be used to slow down and speed up the body clock explains why Viagra only worked when the lights were switched on early, not late.
Professor Robert Lucas said the new research raised the possibility of using Viagra in conjunction with this light treatment.
Pfizer, the makers of Viagra, warned the drug should only be used in accordance with the approved labelling.
Ian Jarrett
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