A study in mice shows that the drug can promote the growth of myelin, a
fatty substance found in protective layers around many nerves throughout the
body. In multiple sclerosis, the myelin sheath around nerves is lost, and
this is thought to contribute to the symptoms of the disease, which include
weakness, blurred vision, fatigue, poor balance and paralysis.
``These results have to be confirmed in animal tests, but this strategy is
certainly very promising,'' said study senior author Dr. Catherine Lubetzki
of the Universit Pierre et Marie Curie, in Paris, France. The findings are
published in the journal Neurology.
In their study, Lubetzki and her colleagues examined the effect of the
experimental drug eliprodil on mouse brain cells grown in laboratory
culture.
The authors explain that 'neuroprotective' agents like eliprodil stimulate
signaling between nerve cells. Because ''neuronal signals appear to be
mandatory for myelination (the growth of new myelin sheathing),'' they
speculated that eliprodil might increase myelinization rates in mouse brain
cells.
That theory seems to be supported by the results of the study. The authors
report that ``eliprodil induced a two-fold increase in myelination'' during
laboratory tests.
The researchers stress, however, that the drug is only able to repair
damage -- it cannot stop the loss of myelin that characterizes multiple
sclerosis. ``(We) obviously must discover how to stop the process that
causes demyelination,'' Lubetzki explained. But she added that ``it may be
that this new strategy could limit the progression of the disease.''
Eliprodil is not yet commercially available, and the results of these early
studies must be repeated in animal trials before scientists can draw any
firm conclusions regarding the drug's effectiveness.
The study was supported in part by Syntholabe Recherche, the French
manufacturers of eliprodil.
Multiple sclerosis affects over 300,000 Americans. The cause of the disease
is still unknown.
SOURCE: Neurology 1999;52:346-350.