Bronchodilatory effect of trapidil in man

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Trapidil is a known coronary vasodilator and antiplatelet agent.
• Previous research indicated potential bronchodilatory action in animal models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bronchodilatory effects of trapidil in human patients with obstructive lung diseases.
• To assess the efficacy of intravenous trapidil administration in improving respiratory function.

Main Methods:

• Intravenous infusion of 100 mg trapidil in 29 patients (asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis).
• Patients were divided into two groups based on infusion duration (30 min vs. 10 min).
• Pulmonary function tests including forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume, and respiratory resistance were measured.

Main Results:

• Trapidil significantly increased forced vital capacity in all patients.
• Group II (10 min infusion) showed significant increases in forced expiratory volume at 1.0 s and peak expiratory flow rate.
• Respiratory resistance significantly decreased in Group II.

Conclusions:

• Trapidil exhibits a confirmed bronchodilatory effect in humans.
• The drug shows promise for treating chronic obstructive lung diseases, in addition to its cardiovascular applications.