| 摘要 |
<p>[Problem] To provide a therapeutic agent for fatty liver disease (FLD), preferably for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), in particular, for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), said agent comprising a P2X7 receptor inhibitory substance as the active ingredient. [Solution] As the results of intensive studies to develop a therapeutic agent for FLD, the present inventors found out that in a pathogenic model of FLD, a P2X7 receptor inhibitory substance exerts excellent in vivo pharmacological effects of dose-dependently and significantly lowering AST and ALT in plasma, AST and ALT in plasma being hepatic damage markers, ameliorating fatty liver, significantly lowering hydroxyproline level, hydroxyproline level being a hepatic fibrosis marker, significantly reducing fibrosis area ratio, and so on. By using first stage culture cells, it was further clarified that the P2X7 receptor inhibitory substance has a more direct effect of inhibiting cell death of hepatic parenchymal cells. Thus, the present invention has been completed based on the finding that the P2X7 receptor inhibitory substance is usable as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for FLD.</p> |
