This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Can you try out LDN while on interferon beta 1a like rebif? I worry about trying something new and going cold-turkey off a treatment that has been helping (some).

There really aren't any conclusive answers to your question. I've heard argument from both sides.

This is what the UK MS Society is saying.

Naltrexone and beta interferon
Advocates of LDN suggest that it does not work when taken in conjunction with beta interferon. There is no scientific basis for this. It is very unwise to give up an approved licensed treatment, which is of proven value in MS and has been used by tens of thousands of people with the disease, in favour of a drug, which has been used by a few hundred people and for which there is no evidence of benefit.

http://www.mssociety.org.uk/research/research_explained/ldn.html[/url]

If you read what Dr. Bihari states, combining LDN with any of the interferon drugs isn't a good idea. The interferons suppress the immune system and although the docs don't know exactly how these drugs work against MS, it is opposite to what LDN does. LDN regulates the immune system, giving it the opportunity of functioning in as normal manner as possible. Theoretically, the drugs would work against one another.

Harry

Copaxone and interferons are immunomodifiers and not immunosuppresants. Novantrone is an immunosuppressants. This is according to NMSS. If Copaxone is recommended then so should the interferons. I haven't seen any testimony or anecdotal stories that interferons neutralize LDN.

They are immunomodifiers in that they suppress the effect of the immune system. Copaxone works differently but the researchers really can't explain just how it works on MS patients. Some researchers have also recently stated that Copaxone is a total waste of time when it comes to treating MS...and these are docs that have been working with MS for years!!

At the moment there is no scientific studies that can state what LDN does when taken with the CRABs. It is all theory but these drugs do work differently in how they combat MS. Not until anyone does clinical trials with LDN will we ever know more.

Harry

I happened upon some info on endorphins at this site http://www.enneagramcentral.com/pharm_9a.htm
when I was looking for info on endorphin levels. Here's a couple things from this article:

The body produces its own endogenous narcotics in the brain pharmacologically known as Endorphins. (Remember my essay on Point Three). Although Endorphins are not chemically related to morphine, being a number of chemically linked amino acids, they act pharmacologically the same way. They relieve pain, producing a sort of euphoria and reducing stress.

There is a medication known as Naltrexone. It blocks the action of opiates such as Morphine on the brain centers and is orally active. It comes in 50 mg tablets and is used in cases of narcotic addiction to prevent the addict from obtaining a "high". It is also used in scientific experiments to block the action of Endorphins, the natural brain opiates.

Endorphins have an effect on the immune reactions, usually acting as an immunodepressant and the decrease in the activity of the immune system in rats put under stressful conditions was believed to be due to increased endorphin secretion in the stressed out rats. This was proven by giving the rats Naltrexone before the stress. When under the influence of the Endorphin inhibiting Naltrexone, the stress applied to the rats did not decrease the efficiency of there immune system.

Naltrexone has recently been approved for the treatment of alcoholism. By taking a 50mg Naltrexone tablet daily, an alcoholics craving for alcohol seems to be reduced. The reason for this is believed to be that part of the pleasant euphoric effect of alcohol is due to an increased stimulation of Endorphin secretion in the brain. Trexan (the brand name for Naltrexone) will block some of the alcohol induced pleasure by inhibiting Endorphin action.

So does LDN actually decrease endorphin secretion like it's big brother Naltrexone there by giving the immune system a boost or increase the amount of endorphins and act as a immunodepressant?

This information doesn't appear to make too much sense. It's been proven that stress in humans reduces the effect of the immune system and people who suffer from stress have a greater chance of catching a disease. So if these rats were exposed to stress (with the possible result of having their immune system's effectiveness reduced) and given Naltrexone at the same time, the fact that the rats' immune system did not decrease would indicate to me that Nalrexone countered this reduced immune system normal reaction. In other words, the Naltrexone "regulated" the immune system of the rats and allowed it to function in a normal manner....the theory behind how LDN regulates the immune system of MS patients. I can't figure out why the article then referred to Naltrexone as being an "immunodepressant".

I also don't put too much weight on experiments done with rats and mice when it comes to applying the results to humans with MS. We already know the abysmal record of MS mouse experiments when the researchers try and apply the results to human MS therapies!

Harry