"Dementia-preventing nasal spray moves to human trials.
Scientists from Osaka City University are reporting successful preclinical tests of a novel nasal spray designed to prevent the neurodegeneration associated with dementia. The spray combines two cheap, pre-existing drugs and was found to improve cognitive function in several different mouse models of dementia.
The new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, follows on from foundational research in 2016 that discovered a common antibiotic called rifampicin can reduce the accumulation of toxic proteins known to be associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Across several mouse experiments the research indicated the antibiotic could prevent neurodegeneration if administered in the very earliest stages of disease. However, long-term treatment with rifampicin in humans was not particularly feasible due to the drug’s occasional adverse effects on the liver.
So in 2018 the researchers investigated whether intranasal administration of rifampicin helped deliver the drug more directly to the brain, avoiding its damaging side effects on the liver. Those findings promisingly suggested intranasal rifampicin led to higher levels in the brain, improved cognitive outcomes and reductions in liver toxicity.
“To further secure the safety of nasal rifampicin, we hypothesized that rifampicin’s undesired actions could be antagonized by other compounds,” the researchers write in their latest study. “Thus, we explored the literature for a compound that possesses hepatoprotective actions opposite to rifampicin and, if possible, additional clinical effects that rifampicin does not show.”
The new study homed in on a natural antioxidant called resveratrol, found in foods such as dark chocolate and red wine, that has recently been studied for its unique anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. The researchers hypothesized a combination of rifampicin and resveratrol, delivered intranasally, may be the key to a safe long-term treatment that can prevent, or at least slow, the progression of dementia.
A fixed-dose rifampicin and resveratrol combination was intranasally administered five times a week for a month to several different mouse models of neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. The results showed the novel combination therapy improved mouse cognition and blocked the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain.
The combination treatment also showed no signs of liver damage and was more effective at preventing neurodegeneration than delivering each drug by itself. Takami Tomiyama, lead investigator on the new study, says the dose of rifampicin used in the research is tiny compared to what is usually given as an antibiotic. And, when combined with resveratrol, it could plausibly be given to humans safely as a long-term preventative therapy.
“Converted to a human dosage based on body surface area, it becomes 0.081 mg/kg/day,” explains Tomiyama. “Currently, rifampicin is prescribed at 10 mg/kg/day as an antibiotic, and compared to this, we confirmed an effect at a much lower dosage.”
Tomiyama and colleagues have founded a company called Medilabo RFP to begin human clinical trials testing the intranasal spray. These human trials should commence very soon spanning a number of global sites including Japan and the United States.
The new study was published in the journal frontiers in Neuroscience.
Source: Osaka Metropolitan University
The above taken from here
Scientists from Osaka City University are reporting successful preclinical tests of a novel nasal spray designed to prevent the neurodegeneration associated with dementia. The spray combines two cheap, pre-existing drugs and was found to improve cognitive function in several different mouse models of dementia.
The new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, follows on from foundational research in 2016 that discovered a common antibiotic called rifampicin can reduce the accumulation of toxic proteins known to be associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Across several mouse experiments the research indicated the antibiotic could prevent neurodegeneration if administered in the very earliest stages of disease. However, long-term treatment with rifampicin in humans was not particularly feasible due to the drug’s occasional adverse effects on the liver.
So in 2018 the researchers investigated whether intranasal administration of rifampicin helped deliver the drug more directly to the brain, avoiding its damaging side effects on the liver. Those findings promisingly suggested intranasal rifampicin led to higher levels in the brain, improved cognitive outcomes and reductions in liver toxicity.
“To further secure the safety of nasal rifampicin, we hypothesized that rifampicin’s undesired actions could be antagonized by other compounds,” the researchers write in their latest study. “Thus, we explored the literature for a compound that possesses hepatoprotective actions opposite to rifampicin and, if possible, additional clinical effects that rifampicin does not show.”
The new study homed in on a natural antioxidant called resveratrol, found in foods such as dark chocolate and red wine, that has recently been studied for its unique anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. The researchers hypothesized a combination of rifampicin and resveratrol, delivered intranasally, may be the key to a safe long-term treatment that can prevent, or at least slow, the progression of dementia.
A fixed-dose rifampicin and resveratrol combination was intranasally administered five times a week for a month to several different mouse models of neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. The results showed the novel combination therapy improved mouse cognition and blocked the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain.
The combination treatment also showed no signs of liver damage and was more effective at preventing neurodegeneration than delivering each drug by itself. Takami Tomiyama, lead investigator on the new study, says the dose of rifampicin used in the research is tiny compared to what is usually given as an antibiotic. And, when combined with resveratrol, it could plausibly be given to humans safely as a long-term preventative therapy.
“Converted to a human dosage based on body surface area, it becomes 0.081 mg/kg/day,” explains Tomiyama. “Currently, rifampicin is prescribed at 10 mg/kg/day as an antibiotic, and compared to this, we confirmed an effect at a much lower dosage.”
Tomiyama and colleagues have founded a company called Medilabo RFP to begin human clinical trials testing the intranasal spray. These human trials should commence very soon spanning a number of global sites including Japan and the United States.
The new study was published in the journal frontiers in Neuroscience.
Source: Osaka Metropolitan University
The above taken from here
h/t to Marks Daily Apple here
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All the best Jan
31 comments:
Wouldn't it be wonderful to halt dementia? I hope the trial is positive.
This could be good news!
...let's hope that it's a help for a serious problem.
Muy interesante hay que esperar más pruebas pero parece esperanzador. Te mando un beso
I think that dementia is perhaps the cruelest of illnesses. I so hope that this research delivers positive results.
Very interesting
Very interesting as always the information you share, we must celebrate scientific advances, they are one of the pillars of humanity.
Happy week.
Best regards.
That is interesting. Let's hope it works :-)
Good info Jan, I don't use it, thanks.
Dementia is such a terrible thing, let's hope they get a breakthrough soon in preventing this cruel illness.
Wow how interesting wouldn't it be great if something so simple could actually work.
I hope it works, sounds interesting.
Take care, enjoy your day! Have a happy new week!
I really appreciate their efforts amid this hard infection.
Very interesting read.
Good info - I will save this! Thanks.
That would be fabulous if it would help.
It must be exciting to be a scientist!
Very interesting. First time I heard of it. Sure hope it works as they hope it will.
What great news if it does work!!
A fascinating article Jan, I do hope something comes of it. Thank you!
We trust scientists and science. Very useful article. Our people getting older day by day. Thanks for sharing.
I hope this works, this could be great for so many people.
That would be fabulous if it passes trials. I wonder if it works on other forms of dementia not just actual Alzheimer's?
That would be amazing. We live in a retirement community where we are the kids. Many of the residents are in their 80s and 90s. This would be a god-send.
Hopefully it proves effective.
We're moving a long understanding benefit of different foods.
Coffee is on and stay safe
Me ha parecido una noticia interesante, deseo que de buenos resultados. Besos.
Wow...that would be so amazing if it proves to be so, with no terrible side effects.
if it works it will no doubt be expensive ..too expensive for so many.
this is good to know since early onset runs in my family
That would be great if it works.
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