Epilepsy Drug Phenytoin Brings Hope for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

In multiple sclerosis (MS), the immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath that covers nerve fibers. This leads to communication problems between the brain and the body. Eventually, the nerves can deteriorate or become permanently damaged. Currently there are no neuroprotective drugs available for multiple sclerosis sufferers.

A commonly-used epilepsy drug has brought hope for multiple sclerosis sufferers as it may help prevent nerve damage.

The University College London study found that the drug phenytoin slowed the progress of optic neuritis, a symptom leading to blurred vision, and scientists believe it could have a similar protective effect throughout the brain.

‘The drug phenytoin slowed the progress of optic neuritis, a symptom leading to blurred vision. Scientists believe that this commonly used epilepsy drug could have a similar protective effect throughout the brain in patients with multiple sclerosis.’

In the study, 86 people with acute optic neuritis were either given phenytoin or an inactive placebo 'dummy drug' for three months and at the end of the trial, the group who received the genuine drug had on average 30% less damage to the nerve fiber layer at the back of the eye.

Lead researcher Dr. Raj Kapoor said, "These are promising results and if the findings are confirmed by larger, Phase III trials, could lead to a new treatment that protects nerves from the damage caused both in optic neuritis and throughout the central nervous system in other attacks of multiple sclerosis."

The findings are reported in The Lancet Neurology.

Source: ANI

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Chemotherapy

‘Chemo’ means medicine or ‘drug’; ‘therapy’ means ‘treatment’. Chemotherapy refers to the use of cytotoxic drugs in cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy Drugs

Chemotherapy drugs perform like ‘magic bullets’ to destroy cancer cells in the body.

Drug Toxicity

Drug toxicity is an adverse reaction of the body towards a drug that results as a side effect of a drug, reaction to a drug or drug abuse.

Epilepsy

Fits or convulsions or Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent, involuntary seizures and is described as a chronic neurological disorder

Febrile Fits / Febrile Convulsions

High fever in kids can cause convulsions and are called febrile fits that do not include the seizures that occur as a result of brain infection.

Infectious Mononucleosis

Called also the kissing diesase, Mononucleosis is an infectious disease due to infection with the Epstein Barr virus of the herpes virus family.

Optic Neuritis

Optic neuritis is acute inflammation of the optic nerve. Optic nerve connects the eye to the brain and carries visual signals from the retina to the brain where it is received and interpreted.

Reye’s Syndrome

Reye's syndrome is a medical emergency chiefly affecting children and teenagers and is marked by the rapid development of life-threatening neurological symptoms.