[reverett123]

We've discussed the possible use of some antibiotics as though it were a radically new idea. It seems more and more that it is not so. Rather it is once again a case of a promising avenue closed because the profit is not there to push it past the regulatory barriers. Read this carefully-


1. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2007 Dec;7(4):232-6.

Tetracyclines and pulmonary inflammation.

Rempe S, Hayden JM, Robbins RA, Hoyt JC.

Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center, Research (RS/151), Building 27, 650 East Indian
School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85012, USA.

Tetracycline and its derivatives, such as chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline,
minocycline, doxycycline, methacycline and lymecycline, are naturally occurring
or semi-synthetic polyketide compounds that exhibit a well known broad-spectrum
antibacterial activity that interferes with prokaryotic protein synthesis at the
ribosome level. In addition to this well known antibacterial activity these
compounds also exhibit a variety of additional, less well known properties. Among
them are separate and distinct anti-inflammatory properties. Tetracycline and
related compounds have been shown to be effective chemotherapeutic agents in a
wide variety of chronic inflammatory diseases and conditions. These include
periodontitis, rosacea, acne, auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
and protection of the central nervous system against trauma and neurodegenerative
diseases such as stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease. Tetracycline
and related compounds appear to be beneficial for treatment of several chronic
inflammatory airway diseases. Among them are asthma, bronchiectasis, acute
respiratory distress syndrome, chemical induced lung damage and cystic fibrosis.
The clinical use of tetracycline-type drugs in treatment of chronic airway
inflammation is becoming a topic of intense interest. Recent findings in this
area have led to an understanding of the myriad physiological, cellular and
molecular mechanisms of the inflammatory response and how this response may be
controlled to limit damage to host cells and tissues. This review presents a
brief summary of the recent research in the area of tetracycline and its
derivatives in control of pulmonary inflammation.

PMID: 18220943 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[mrsD]

Doxy and minocycline are used for inflammation commonly today.
Dental uses it in low dose for periodontal inflammation.

There is a form for eye use (blepharitis and blocked tear ducts).

Some doctors use minocycline for carpal tunnel and other rheumatoid diseases.

Tetracycline family can cause increased intracranial pressure however, (called pseudotumor cerebri), so that may limit its use in high doses. Chronic use of minocycline as fallen off because of this. At one time it was a major treatment for acne.

The tetracycline family does not KILL bacteria, it is bacteriostatic, and needs the immune system to remove the bacteria which are prevented from multiplying. Some antibiotics are killers--bacteriocidal-- (penicillin) and others like tetracycline are only bacteriostatic. It is believed that tetracycline will work on large viruses and sometimes it is prescribed for lung infections suspected of being viral in nature.

[lurkingforacure]

Thanks for that Rick, but I remember not too long ago they did a trial of minocycline for ALS....turned out those who took it passed away 25% earlier than those who did not (if I remember correctly)....not sure why that is, ALS is so horrific and the timeframe to help people once dx'd so short.

I know ALS is not PD, though, and doesn't have the same pathology, or is there some overlap? Since they really don't know what causes either...

I'd still be leery of minocycline because of this.

[reverett123]

Yes, I am aware of the ALS study. One point raised was that they used a highdose approach under the good old Western approach of "if a little is good, then....."

And just to feed the paranoid, there are powerful forces that might not be happy if this were too successful.

But let's not lose sight of the important part. If minocycline or any other tetracycline relieves symptoms acutely and stops progression chronically, then a whole new era begins.

[Conductor71]

It seems that Evidence Based Medicine is the culprit. Without Randomized Controlled Trials on Tetracycline or Dextromethorphan, we won't get anywhere. Further, even trying to get your doctor to prescribe an old-school PD med is difficult because there is not sufficient interest in them anymore to conduct more research. The big question is then why or who decides what narrowly defines our treatment options? Why is that Mirapex,for example, becomes the standard prescribe agonist despite very serious side effects like OCD? If more research is needed on these off-label treatments, why can't we have some philanthropists stepping up and funding these?

In looking into these questions, I ran across this must read editorial from the Movement Disorder Society on PD therapies. It provides an historical context and looks at experimental options like Dextromethorphan and Antihistamines. Some interesting and very germane facts:

Bromocriptine, the first dopamine agonist developed, derives from a plant with Tetracyclic properties and further...

Some authors speculate that bromocriptine might have neuroprotective properties because it can act in vitro as a free radical scavenger, and it can reduce DA turnover in vivo and therefore, may minimize damage caused by oxidative stress.7,8

The fact that anticholinergic therapy has remained in clinical use for well over a century, as well as the often remarkable clinical deterioration of parkinsonian symptoms after their abrupt discontinuation4-6, suggests at least some beneficial effects. Pharmacological rationale for the use of anticholinergic drugs has been strengthened by the clear demonstration of dopaminergic-cholin- ergic antagonism in striatal function.

A lot more in this article provided freely at The Movement Disorder Society's web site. Here is a direct link to Management of Parkinson Disease: An Evidence Based Review.

Laura

[reverett123]

Note the last line. They are talking about doses one tenth that used for infections. This darned biphasic "too small, too big, just right" turns up so often that henceforth I dub it the Goldlocks effect.

1. Cutis. 2005 Apr;75(4 Suppl):6-11.

The anti-inflammatory effects of tetracyclines.

Weinberg JM.

Clinical Research Center, Department of Dermatology, St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital
Center, New York, New York, USA.

Tetracyclines commonly are used in medicine and dentistry because of their
efficacy and safety as bacteriostatic antimicrobial agents. As such,
tetracyclines function by inhibiting bacterial multiplication and growth. In
addition to these effects, tetracyclines have anti-inflammatory properties and
have been shown to exhibit several intracellular and extracellular biologic
effects that are not related to antibiotic activity. These activities correlate
with anti-inflammatory and anticollagenolytic properties. This article will
review the anti-inflammatory properties of the tetracyclines and the various
clinical applications related to these actions. In addition, the use of
subantimicrobial dose doxycycline 20 mg twice a day (SDD) will be discussed
because of its anti-inflammatory effects.

PMID: 15916224 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[mrsD]

That is a bit less than the periodontal dose which is 35mg.

BTW, they now use doxy for chronic prostatitis too.

The lower doses are safer. Less chance of intracranial increases in pressure.

[Jaye]

It's a wonder to me how any helpful substance ever reaches us, after seeing "Whistle-Blowers' Experiences in Fraud Litigation against Pharmaceutical Companies" in the May 2010 NEJM.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/362/19/1832

Also, do people know about http://www.freemedicaljournals.com/ when they get tired of all those abstracts?

Forgive me if someone else has posted this.

Jaye