{"id":77818,"date":"2016-08-22T12:00:27","date_gmt":"2016-08-22T11:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=77818"},"modified":"2016-08-18T14:18:46","modified_gmt":"2016-08-18T13:18:46","slug":"alzheimers-disease-period-pain-drug-cures-symptoms-in-mice-new-research-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2016\/08\/alzheimers-disease-period-pain-drug-cures-symptoms-in-mice-new-research-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"Alzheimer\u2019s Disease: Period Pain Drug Cures Symptoms in Mice, New Research Shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is the Cure for Alzheimer’s Already on the Market?<\/em><\/p>\n

13 Aug 2016 – <\/em>The incurable Alzheimer\u2019s disease may now have a cure. A new research by the University of Manchester shows that the most common form of dementia can be fully cured with an anti-inflammatory drug, commonly used for period pain.<\/p>\n

Almost 7.5 million new cases of Alzheimer\u2019s\u00a0\u2014 a disease that causes acute problems with memory, thinking ability and behavior \u2014 diagnosed around the world\u00a0every<\/a> year. In the United States, about five\u00a0million people currently suffer from the degenerative disease that has claimed one\u00a0in three\u00a0senior citizens with some form of dementia.<\/p>\n

The team, led by Dr. David Brough, worked with mice to find that a common Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) routinely used to relieve menstrual pain \u2014 mefenamic acid \u2014 completely reversed the inflammation of the brain and lost memory in the specimen.<\/p>\n

Mefenamic acid is available as a generic drug and is sold under a variety of brand\u00a0names.<\/p>\n

For the study, 20 mice were genetically altered to exhibit symptoms of Alzheimer\u2019s. Ten of these were treated with mefenamic acid by using a mini-pump under their skin for one month, while the other 10 mice were treated in the same way with a placebo.<\/p>\n

Researchers found that the mice treated with mefenamic acid saw a complete reversal of memory loss, while the placebo group\u2019s condition remained unchanged.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A woman, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, looks at an old picture in a retirement house in Angervilliers, eastern France, March 18, 2011. Photo: GETTY IMAGES\/SEBASTIEN BOZON\/AFP<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThere is experimental evidence now to strongly suggest that inflammation in the brain makes Alzheimer\u2019s disease worse,\u201d Brough said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cOur research shows for the first time that mefenamic acid, a simple Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug can target an important inflammatory pathway called the NLRP3 inflammasome, which damages brain cells.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUntil now, no drug has been available to target this pathway, so we are very excited by this result,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

However, trials on animals are not the same as human trials and may yield different results. If the proposed human trials prove to be promising, it won\u2019t be long before the treatment reaches patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause this drug is already available and the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of the drug is known, the time for it to reach patients should, in theory, be shorter than if we were developing completely new drugs,\u201d Brough said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Doug Brown, Director of Research and Development at Alzheimer’s Society, backs this by saying, \u201cTesting drugs already in use for other conditions is a priority for Alzheimer\u2019s Society \u2014 it could allow us to shortcut the fifteen years or so needed to develop a new dementia drug from scratch.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is also a note for caution attached with the research.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese promising lab results identify a class of existing drugs that have potential to treat Alzheimer\u2019s disease by blocking a particular part of the immune response. However, these drugs are not without side effects and should not be taken for Alzheimer\u2019s disease at this stage – studies in people are needed first,\u201d Brown said in the statement.<\/p>\n

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