GCC Distinguished Cancer Scholar, Professor and Director, Cancer Biology Program, Department of OB/GYN, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga 30310
Common Cough Syrup Ingredient Could Treat a Serious Lung Disease: EMBL scientists uncover potential use of an FDA-approved over-the-counter cough syrup ingredient to treat fibrotic lung disease. A common ingredient in many over-the-counter cough syrups, dextromethorphan, may hold promise as a treatment for lung fibrosis—a condition associated with various serious health issues. Researchers from EMBL Heidelberg, working in collaboration with other scientists, have identified dextromethorphan as a potential therapy for lung fibrosis. Their findings, published in Science Translational Medicine, reveal that dextromethorphan can reduce lung fibrosis by interfering with the production of collagen that leads to scarring within cells. Understanding Lung Fibrosis: Lung fibrosis – caused by an excess amount of scarring, formed when fibrillar collagen accumulates in the lung – most often occurs in older adults for a variety of reasons: exposure to environmental irritants such as asbestos, coal dust, and mold; as a side effect from chemotherapy agents; as a long-term consequence from serious lung disease such as tuberculosis; and as part of certain autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.