Nov 29, 2016 12:46 PM EST By Chris Brandt, UniversityHerald Reporter

Brain stroke has a new nemesis, a new anti-inflammatory drug discovered by researchers at the University of Manchester. The new drug reduces the brain cells damaged by stroke and it also helps repair the damage.

The research team conducted a study involving rodents with stroke and found out that the new anti-inflammatory drug called interleukin-1 receptor antagonist or IL -1Ra in short, not only limits the death of existing cells damaged by stroke but it also promotes neurogenesis, the process where new neurons are born. This drug does not only work in rodents but in humans as well.

The research, led by Professor Stuart Allen and was published in the Brain, Behavior, and Immunity journal, showed that rodents suffering from stroke showed not only a reduced brain damage early on in the stroke but new neurons have been found in their brains after being treated with IL-1Ra.

The discovery of the IL-1Ra is a big breakthrough considering there has been no success in previous experiments and research in finding treatment for brain stroke. Moreover, it is much better than previous experiments as well because it does not only reduce brain damage but it generates new cells, which has more long-term effects.

The scientists said that these new cells have restorative effects to areas in the brain that have been damaged by stroke. They have observed that those rodents that received treatment using IL-1Ra regained some of their motor skills that were lost because of stroke.

The IL-1Ra is already approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. However, it is not yet approved for this purpose. The University of Manchester research team said that they are in the first stage of testing IL-1Ra in some stroke victims but they concede that further and larger trials are needed.

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