每天小劑量偉哥可能減少結(jié)直腸癌風險

Due to its distinctive effects on male physiology, Viagra is a drug that has changed the lives of countless men around the world over the last two decades.

由于偉哥對于男性生理的獨特效果，在過去的二十多年中，這種神藥已經(jīng)改變了世界各地無數(shù)的男性的個人生活。

But an unexpected side effect of the little blue pill hints at even greater transformative potential that scientists never knew about before -- and one that could ultimately save thousands of lives.

但是，科學家們直到最近才發(fā)現(xiàn)，這種藍色小藥片似乎還有另一種出乎意料的副作用，預示著更大的顛覆性潛能，甚至可能最終拯救數(shù)以千計的生命。

Researchers studying the effects of Viagra (aka sildenafil) on mice have discovered a small, daily dose of the medication in the animals' drinking water significantly reduces their risk of developing colorectal cancer.

科學家在研究偉哥(又稱昔多芬)對于小鼠的影響時，發(fā)現(xiàn)在動物每天的飲水中加入小劑量藥物，可以顯著降低它們得結(jié)直腸癌的風險。

Giving a baby dose of Viagra can reduce the amount of tumours in these animals by half, says biochemist Darren D. Browning from Augusta University.

奧古斯塔大學的生物化學家達倫·D·勃朗寧稱，服用很小劑量的偉哥，能將這些動物中的腫瘤數(shù)量減半。

We should bear in mind that so far this surprising result has only been demonstrated in the animal model, not in people as yet.

有一點我們應(yīng)該注意，就是目前這些驚人的結(jié)果只來自動物模型，還沒有在人體中得到印證。

But that's the exact next step the team wants to pursue, saying a clinical trial with patients considered at high risk of colorectal cancer -- or with a family history of the disease -- should be a research priority.

但這正是研究團隊下一步的研究方向，對于那些具有結(jié)直腸癌高風險的患者，或是有家族病史的患者進行臨床試驗，應(yīng)該是研究的首要任務(wù)。

If such a trial gets the green light and the effects can be replicated in humans, it could be a huge step forward in saving lives lost to cancer.

如果這樣的臨床試驗獲得批準，并且最終證明偉哥可以在人體中得到相同的效果，那么對于挽救那些因癌癥而失去生命的人來說，無疑前進了巨大的一步。

In people, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, causing in excess of 1 million cases annually -- some 50,000 of which end in death in the US each year.

對于人類，結(jié)直腸癌是世界范圍內(nèi)第三大癌癥類型，每年超過一百萬人被診斷出此病，在美國每年大約五萬人死于結(jié)直腸癌。

There's a chance we might be able reduce these grim numbers with Viagra, the researchers think, thanks to the effect the drug appears to have on tissue that can become cancerous.

研究者認為，由于偉哥對那些可能癌變組織的潛在影響，它或許可以幫我們降低這個嚴酷的統(tǒng)計數(shù)字。

In the study, the researchers demonstrated that the daily Viagra dose halved the formation of polyps in mouse tissue: abnormal clumps of cells that form on intestinal lining, which have a tendency to become tumours.

在研究中，科學家們發(fā)現(xiàn)，每天服用一定劑量的偉哥，可以讓小鼠組織中息肉的形成數(shù)量減半：這些息肉就是在小腸內(nèi)壁形成的異常細胞團，它們有可能變成腫瘤。

Another drug the researchers experimented with, linaclotide -- used to treat constipation and irritable bowel syndrome -- was even more effective than Viagra.

而研究者們同時試驗過另一種藥：利那洛肽。該藥常用來治療便秘和腸易激綜合癥。它比偉哥的效果更加顯著。

But it comes with a nasty drawback: diarrhoea, even in small doses, which makes it ultimately unsuitable for prolonged use, the researchers say.

但研究者發(fā)現(xiàn)它有一個非常不好的缺點：即使是小劑量也會導致腹瀉，因而并不適合長期服用。

In contrast, Viagra at such low doses isn't known to produce side effects in humans, which could make it a safe, convenient way to stop the spread of polyps, thanks to it promoting production of a chemical called cyclic GMP inside the body.

相反，低劑量的偉哥則不會對人體產(chǎn)生任何已知的副作用，而且因為它能促進體內(nèi)產(chǎn)生一種稱為環(huán)磷酸鳥苷的化學物質(zhì)，所以是一種既安全又方便阻止息肉擴散的方法。