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Can this medication reverse multiple sclerosis? Brain biomarker shows it can (Clemastine)
Medical Xpress / Univ of Cali, SF / Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ^ | June 12, 2023 | Eduardo Caverzasi et al

Posted on 06/13/2023 8:05:12 AM PDT by ConservativeMind

A decade after scientists identified an over-the-counter antihistamine as a treatment for multiple sclerosis, researchers have developed an approach to measure the drug's effectiveness in repairing the brain.

The researchers, led by Ari Green, used MRI scans to study the drug's impact on the brain of 50 participants in a clinical study.

In MS, patients lose myelin, the protective insulation around nerve fibers. This myelin loss triggers delays in nerve signals, leading to weakness and spasticity, and other symptoms.

In the brain, water trapped between the thin layers of myelin that wrap nerve fibers cannot move as freely as water floating between brain cells. This unique property of myelin allowed imaging experts to develop a technique to compare the difference in myelin levels before and after the drug was administered, by measuring the so-called myelin water fraction, or the ratio of myelin water to the total water content in brain tissue.

"This is the first example of brain repair being documented on MRI for a chronic neurological condition," said Green.

Myelin increased even after medication was stopped

In the study, patients with MS who enrolled in the ReBUILD trial were divided into two groups: the first group received clemastine for the first three months of the study and the second group received clemastine only in months three to five.

The findings corroborate the results of a previous study with the same 50 patients that had found the allergy medication reduced delayed nerve signaling, potentially alleviating symptoms.

In the current study, researchers looked at the corpus callosum. They found that significant repair occurred outside the visible lesions typically associated with MS.

Clemastine works in this setting by stimulating the differentiation of myelin-making stem cells. It still isn't ideal, though, making the water fraction measurement an important tool in developing better therapeutics.

(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: antihistamine; brain; clemastine; ms; multiplesclerosis; otcantihistamine
It seems in the US that clemastine currently requires a prescription, at this time, but it is available and is an older drug.

Other countries have it OTC.

1 posted on 06/13/2023 8:05:12 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: Mazey; ckilmer; goodnesswins; Jane Long; BusterDog; jy8z; ProtectOurFreedom; matthew fuller; ...

The “Take Charge Of Your Health” Ping List

This high volume ping list is for health articles and studies which describe something you or your doctor, when informed, may be able to immediately implement for your benefit.

Email me to get on either the “Common/Top Issues” (20 - 25% fewer pings) or “Everything” list.

2 posted on 06/13/2023 8:06:20 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ConservativeMind

There are many I love very much who would benefit from this.


3 posted on 06/13/2023 8:12:43 AM PDT by LS ("Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually" (Hendrix) )
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To: ConservativeMind

I googled ‘clemastine’ and it seems to be available over the internet.


4 posted on 06/13/2023 8:26:17 AM PDT by adorno
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To: null and void; aragorn; EnigmaticAnomaly; kalee; Kale; AZ .44 MAG; Baynative; bgill; bitt; ...

p


5 posted on 06/13/2023 9:15:00 AM PDT by bitt (<img src=' 'width=40%>)
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To: adorno

Buy it now before the company is bought up and the price increased 10,000%.


6 posted on 06/13/2023 9:34:39 AM PDT by BipolarBob (I was going to start procrastinating this year, I just haven't got around to it.)
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To: ConservativeMind

I found a similar study, with similar results, from 2018. They are also running studies on fecal transplants, which have had excellent results.


7 posted on 06/13/2023 6:41:38 PM PDT by aimhigh (1 John 3:23 "And THIS is His commandment . . . . ")
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