Heavy periods may soon be a thing of the past. A drug that tricks the womb lining into repairing itself during menstruation could help people who suffer from excessive bleeding.
Each month, in the absence of pregnancy, the lining of the womb breaks down. This causes聽bleeding, which聽persists until the lining is repaired by a delicate balance of hormones and chemical processes.
However, some women experience heavy periods, or menorrhagia, with prolonged bleeding that can be accompanied by painful cramps and anaemia. This can be treated with surgery and hormonal drugs, but often results in unwanted side effects.
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Now, an alternative聽solution might be on the horizon. Recently it was discovered that women with heavy bleeding have lower levels of a protein called HIF1.
HIF1 activates specific genes when oxygen levels drop 鈥� something that happens in the womb during a period. This process appears to promote healing of the lining.
Jackie Maybin at the University of Edinburgh, and her colleagues have shown in mice that a drug called DMOG tricks the womb lining into thinking that oxygen levels are low, which increases HIF1 activity. This promotes repair of the lining and reduces bleeding.
鈥淓xcitingly, increasing levels of the HIF-1 protein in mice shows real promise as a novel, non-hormonal medical treatment,鈥� says聽.
As an extra bonus, the treatment also boosted production of red blood cells, which could help ease anaemia.
Similar drugs to DMOG have entered clinical trials to treat anaemia associated with kidney disease, says Maybin, and could potentially treat heavy periods if given just prior to menstruation.
