Mefenamic acid, a common anti-inflammatory drug already approved for pain management, has been found to significantly reduce the formation of a toxic compound known as p-cresol sulfate in people with kidney disease with a minimal dose.
"Right now, there's nothing drug-wise that we can use to reduce this toxin quickly," says Tony Kiang, associate professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences and lead author on the study.
The body makes a compound called p-cresol when it breaks down proteins and amino acids. These compounds travel to the liver, which converts them into p-cresol sulfate, a toxic uremic substance. "This is a natural process," Kiang says. The body's addition of the sulfate group makes it easier for the kidneys to eliminate the toxins with urine, he explains.
