What an excellent week it has been for community submissions at This is MS. We started off the week with a great editorial by Finn, and now we have just received an outstanding article from our member Deb, aka "OddDuck." In it, she discusses the possibility that a drug called "desipramine"-- an antidepressant -- could be very useful as a treatment for MS.
She has performed an extensive amount of research and her theories are certainly intriguing. Please take some time to read through her thoughts and just as critically, to share your own. Your participation is crucial if we are to achieve our aim of ending MS, whatever the path. If you find the article far too technical, do not despair-- the main point is that there are people out there dedicated to outsmarting this disease and their work can benefit the entire community.
As always, do NOT begin any treatment without the consent of your doctor-- desipramine has an extensive side effect profile that must be seriously considered, particularly in terms of drug interactions which could cause severe harm.
Enough out of us, here is the article:
"I am on a mission of sorts. I have MS, and I have stumbled onto a medication (desipramine - which is an oral drug) that MAY help MS - not just symptomatically, but possibly via direct disease modification. I have examined literally thousands of individual laboratory research publications. All I can say is that I sincerely hope you will take the time to read my research findings, all of which I believe can be collaborated by medical
experts...
Although there are contradictory theories regarding the role of IL-1B in MS, desipramine appears to have proven mechanisms of action that inhibit IL-1B and TNFa, which thereby turns "off" cPLA2. It has been recently asserted that regulating or "turning off" cPLA2 promotes a preventative process with regard to myelin degradation, thereby possibly
halting MS disease and progression..."
Click "read more" to read the entire article, including her cover letter, the research narrative, and the response from the NMSS (it is actually quite neutral-positive, which we find refreshing given their view on LDN). Be forewarned that it is very technical-- a testament to the time and energy spent on this topic by Deb-- great job!
