Pimagedine: a novel therapy for diabetic nephropathy

Hyperglycaemia is directly involved in causing long-term diabetic complications. The non-enzymatic glycation of proteins, yielding irreversible advanced glycation end products and advanced glycation end products-derived protein crosslinking, participates in the development of diabetic complications, such as diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy is becoming a major medical problem with increasing numbers of these patients progressing to end stage renal disease, thus requiring renal replacement therapy. While several interventions may slow the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy, there is no effective treatment to prevent or reverse the disease. Pimagedine (aminoguanidine HCl) has been shown to be an effective agent in reducing the severity of the structural and functional alterations associated with experimental diabetic nephropathy. Preliminary studies suggest a beneficial effect of pimagedine in treating patients with diabetic nephropathy. In summary, these observations support a role for advanced glycation end products inhibitors, like pimagedine, in the management of diabetic nephropathy, either alone or in combination with other therapies.