Drug used as broncho dilator harms bones, says CDRI research

LUCKNOW: CDRI scientists have conducted a research showing that theophylline, a drug used to treat respiratory diseases, kills the bone forming cells (osteoblasts) and simultaneously hyper activates the bone degrading cells (osteoclasts) and together these processes induce severe bone loss in healthy adult laboratory animals. The research was conducted by a team of scientists led by Dr Naibedya Chattopadhyay.

This drug causes loss of both long and vertebral bones and makes them osteoporotic.

As a result, bones become brittle and fracture prone. In addition, when animal bones were surgically fractured, theophylline treatment delayed fracture healing.

The research, therefore, suggested that theophylline not only increases the risk of fracture but also impairs the body’s ability to repair fracture, said a press statement from the CDRI.

Dr Naibedya said in addition to making bones porous, the drug also causes deficiency of vitamin D and alters hormones that maintain the body’s calcium and phosphate balance.

Research showed that theophylline inhibited vitamin D producing enzymes in the liver, causing a marked fall in vitamin D levels in blood.

Vitamin D is a hormone that maintains healthy immune system to fight against infection and required for bone, cardio-vascular and metabolic health.

Theophylline, a methylxanthine drug, is a broncho dilator (dilates airways of the lungs). It also has anti-inflammatory property and thus mitigates the distressing symptom of COPD such as breathing trouble. According to some estimates, prevalence of COPD is documented to be more than 4% among the Indian population.