Can A Vitamin Alleviate Chronic, Progressive Multiple Sclerosis?

Researchers have found a possible way to protect people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from severe long-term disability: increase nervous-system levels of a vital compound, called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), by giving its chemical precursor -- nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0920093747.htm

Relevence:

Neurosci Lett. 2003 May 15;342(1-2):13-6.

High expression of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Parsons RB, Smith SW, Waring RH, Williams AC, Ramsden DB.

Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, B15 2TH, Birmingham, UK. r.parsons@rfc.ucl.ac.uk

We have previously speculated that elevated levels of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), the primary catabolic enzyme of nicotinamide, may result in reduced Complex I activity in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) in two ways: (1) reduction in the levels of nicotinamide available for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide synthesis; and (2) increased methylation of compounds such as tetrahydroisoquinolines and beta-carbolines, which are potent Complex I inhibitors.

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Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 1993;146:32-5. Links
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)--a new therapeutic approach to Parkinson's disease. Comparison of oral and parenteral application.

* Birkmayer JG,
* Vrecko C,
* Volc D,
* Birkmayer W.

Birkmayer-Institut fur Parkinsontherapie Vienna, Austria.

The reduced coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) has been used as medication in 885 parkinsonian patients in an open label trial. About half of the patients received NADH by intravenous infusion, the other part orally by capsules.

In about 80% of the patients a beneficial clinical effect was observed: 19.3% of the patients showed a very good (30-50%) improvement of disability, 58.8% a moderate (10-30%) improvement. 21.8% did not respond to NADH.

Statistical analysis of the improvement in correlation with the disability prior to treatment, the duration of the disease and the age of the patients revealed the following results: All these 3 parameters have a significant although weak influence on the improvement. The disability before the treatment has a positive regression coefficient (t value < 0.01).

The duration of the disease has a negative regression coefficient (< 0.01) and so has the age a negative regression coefficient (t value < 0.05). In other words younger patients and patients with a shorter duration of disease have a better chance to gain a marked improvement than older patients and patients with longer duration of the disease. The orally applied form of NADH yielded an overall improvement in the disability which was comparable to that of the parenterally applied form.

PMID: 8101414 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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