A new drug that could help reduce disability after a heart attack or stroke has been developed by researchers in the UK.

The researchers found that the drug could protect the heart after the body has been starved of oxygen.

After a heart attack or stroke, heart tissue in the body can be damaged by an interruption in the supply of oxygen.

Tests in mice indicate that the drug can protect the heart when blood flow is restored suddenly after a period when heart tissue has been starved of oxygen.

Blood flow, when it returns after the attack, triggers production of harmful molecules, called free radicals. The drug can prevent the build-up of free radicals.

The new drug works by temporarily 'switching off' the mitochondria for a few minutes to prevent a build-up of free radicals.

It is felt that the drug, although has yet to be tested in humans, could potentially treat people just after a heart attack when blood flow to the heart is restored as part of routine treatment.

The experimental drug, it is predicted, could lead to a whole new class of medicines.

The research is published in the journal Nature Medicine.