Now,
single pill to treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and strokes
Scientists claim to have developed a pill which
could treat a variety of brain conditions including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
disease and multiple sclerosis.
The new class of drug, which can be taken
orally, is designed to protect the brain by combating the damaging effects of
inflammation.
Studies on animals suggest the therapy could be
effective gainst a wide range of conditions which also include motor neurone
disease and complications from traumatic brain injury.
Two drugs in the new class, known as MW151 and
MW189, have already been patented by researchers at Northwestern University in
Chicago.
The drugs work by preventing the harmful
overproduction of damaging brain proteins called cytokines, which scientists
believe contribute to a number of degenerative brain conditions, as well as
brain damage following stroke or injury, by killing nerve cells and damaging
connections within the brain.
The finding published in the Journal of
Neuroscience suggest it could be effective against a plethora of devastating
brain conditions.
Researchers reported that mice which were
genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's did not develop the full-blown
condition if they had taking the drug from six months of age, when their levels
of the damaging proteins began to rise.
In humans, this would coincide with the point
when patients begin to experience early symptoms such as memory loss, they
said.
At eleven months, the mice's brains were
analysed. Levels of the proteins in the mice which had been treated were
normal, whereas those which had not been treated had unusually high levels and
were showing signs of brain deterioration.
"The drug protected against the damage
associated with learning and memory impairment. Giving this drug before
Alzheimer's memory changes are at a late stage may be a promising future
approach to therapy," said co-author Dr Linda Van Eldik, director of the
Sanders-Brown Centre on Aging at the University of Kentucky. The results from
early stage clinical trials are yet to be announced.
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