Scientists have found out that natural protein can heal the tissues that are damaged in a heart attack. It was previously believed that Nerve growth factor{NGF} was previously was acting on nerve cells but later it was found out that it acts on muscle cell of heart.
A Bristol Heart Institute team tested NGF in rats and this had promising results, Cell Death and Differentiation journal reports.
They are hopeful that this result will be successful in case of human. Heart attacks happen when one of the coronary arteries carrying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle is blocked. If the blood supply is cut off, a part of the heart muscle dies. And this can lead to complications such as heart failure.
The new study in rats has put light on new way of tackling effect after heart attack.
Dr Costanza Emanueli and her colleagues found that injecting the gene for NGF into the hearts of rats having a heart attack stopped heart cells dying off.
Dr Emanueli said NGF may be a novel way of protecting the heart from further damage following a heart attack.
This is a good news for patients with heart disease.