Hi, below is a collection of info on low dose naltrexone and dextromethrophan. I would also like to say that I have been on LDN now for 42 months along with my PD meds and I seem to be holding my own.
Ashley
Study of LDN in Primary Progressive MS to be Presented at AAN. Dr. Maira Gironi and colleagues of Milan, Italy have been invited to announce the results of their recently completed
pilot study to the American Academy of Neurology in April in Chicago. The six-month, multi-center trial was carried out in 40 patients, all of whom had primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Safety and efficacy of LDN on spasticity, pain and fatigue were the major outcome measures of the study, which has especial importance because reliably measured endorphin levels were documented throughout.
In October 2007, much of the data were presented at the European Congress of MS in Prague:
We have approached a 6-months, pilot, multicentric, open-label, therapeutic study with LDN aimed at evaluating its safety and efficacy on spasticity, pain and fatigue occurring in 40 pts with PPMS.
Clinical and biochemical evaluations are performed at different time points during the study. Appropriate scale for testing spasticity, pain and fatigue (e.g. Ashworth, Fatigue Severity Scale, Visual Analogue Scale) are used as an integral part of the periodical neurological examination. Beta-Endorphin levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells are also measured by radioimmunoassay.
So far, 40 pts with a diagnosis of PPMS, according to McDonald criteria, have been enrolled in the study (19 males, 21 females, mean age 53.4 years, mean age at onset 41.2, mean Expanded Disability Status Scale 5.5). Optimization of [gabaergic and/or serotoninergic] drugs has been performed in all pts before the enrollment. Opioid-containing-drugs, immunosuppressive or immunomodulator drugs were considered as a contraindication to study enrollment.
Transitory haematological abnormalities (increase of liver enzymes, hypercholesterolemia), mild agitation and sleep disturbance were the commonest adverse events. Only two drop-outs occurred (one for protocol violation and one for severe increase of hypertonia). In conclusion, LDN has shown, so far, to be a safe treatment in PPMS. We are now collecting and analysing efficacy results.
Dr. Gironi’s general impression of how the trial is proceeding thus far was as follows: "LDN could be useful for a quite good number of MS patients affected with spasticity, fatigue, and pain. A subjective improvement on fatigue has been [experienced] overall".
And, this is an email that I sent to the MJF concerning their award of $3M to Industry for research. Never received a reply from them. I suspect it's all about Big Drugs making Big Bucks.
January 31, 2008
Michael J. Fox Foundation Awards up to $3 Million to Industry Teams to Jumpstart Promising PD Drug Development
Hello Research Staff,
I read your news release at NeuroTalk Parkinson's of which I am a member. I would like to make you aware that there has been a lot of research done on neuroinflammatory disease protection at the Neuropharmacology Group of the NIH under the leadership of Dr. John Hong. They have produced many research papers on opioid compounds (naloxone, naltrexone (LDN), dextromethornphan etc) at very low doses that show significant neuroprotection in PD induced rodents.
There is also a large user group of LDN that take Low Dose Naltrexone (4.5mg naltrexone) to hopefully stop the progression of many neuro diseases. Others at NeuroTalk take 5mg of dextromethorphan at night. I was dx'ed with PD about five years ago and have been taking 4.5mg of naltrexone for 41 months. I have not had to increase my mix of Sinemet and Mirapex over that time and my symptoms are mostly gone for now.
I would think, since MJF is funding the above research, they would have a say in what drug compounds are studied. I am wary of any "Industry Team" doing drug research. It is not in the financial interest of the Drug Industry to market old drugs for new uses. Both naltrexone and dextromethorphan have been around for a long time and are very cheap. I would be much more confident of a positive outcome if you directed more of your funding towards independent universities that work in this field .
Sincerely, Ashley
Research papers on opioids and neuroprotection
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract
http://www.aapsj.org/view.asp?art=aapsj080369
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract
Articles on Low Dose Naltrexone, LDN (note, naloxone is similar to naltrxone) in the treatment of disease including pancreatic cancer.
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/others.htm (see pdf attach. Berkson-Presentation)
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/index.htm
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...r/messages?o=1
The authors describe the long-term survival of a patient with pancreatic cancer without any toxic adverse effects. The treatment regimen includes the intravenous alpha-lipoic acid and low-dose naltrexone (ALA-N) protocol and a healthy lifestyle program. The patient was told by a reputable university oncology center in October 2002 that there was little hope for his survival. Today, January 2006, however, he is back at work, free from symptoms, and without appreciable progression of his malignancy. The integrative protocol described in this article may have the possibility of extending the life of a patient who would be customarily considered to be terminal. The authors believe that life scientists will one day develop a cure for metastatic pancreatic cancer, perhaps via gene therapy or another biological platform. But until such protocols come to market, the ALA-N protocol should be studied and considered, given its lack of toxicity at levels reported. Several other patients are on this treatment protocol and appear to be doing well at this time.
PMID: 16484716 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...=pubmed_docsum
Naloxone = Naltrexone
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...t=AbstractPlus
http://www.fred.psu.edu/ds/retrieve/...estigator/isz1
http://www.fred.psu.edu/ds/retrieve/...z1/completepub
http://skipspharmacy.com/ldn.php