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A medication used to treat asthma and COPD has been found to improve clinical outcomes for patients with multiple sclerosis, especially during the first year following diagnosis.

The asthma drug decreases blood levels of interleukin 12 that also promotes a type of helper T cell thought to destroy the myelin sheath in multiple sclerosis patients.

Multiple sclerosis is associated with high levels of interleukin 12, found in patients with the chronic inflammatory disease. Albuterol sulfate relaxes the airways for asthma patients and is also thought to lower levels of interleukin.... Read More - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... ageid/1397

Hi Squiffy,
Thanks for the news! Here's some related research. Curcumin from turmeric can also reduce IL-12.

Curcumin inhibits experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by blocking IL-12 signaling through Janus kinase-STAT pathway in T lymphocytes.
J Immunol. 2002 Jun 15;168(12):6506-13.

• Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a CD4(+) Th1 cell-mediated inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease of the CNS that serves as an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). IL-12 is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in the induction of neural Ag-specific Th1 differentiation and pathogenesis of CNS demyelination in EAE and MS. Curcumin (1,7-Bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione) is a naturally occurring polyphenolic phytochemical isolated from the rhizome of the medicinal plant Curcuma longa. It has profound anti-inflammatory activity and been traditionally used to treat inflammatory disorders. In this study we have examined the effect and mechanism of action of curcumin on the pathogenesis of CNS demyelination in EAE. In vivo treatment of SJL/J mice with curcumin significantly reduced the duration and clinical severity of active immunization and adoptive transfer EAE. Curcumin inhibited EAE in association with a decrease in IL-12 production from macrophage/microglial cells and differentiation of neural Ag-specific Th1 cells. In vitro treatment of activated T cells with curcumin inhibited IL-12-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Janus kinase 2, tyrosine kinase 2, and STAT3 and STAT4 transcription factors. The inhibition of Janus kinase-STAT pathway by curcumin resulted in a decrease in IL-12-induced T cell proliferation and Th1 differentiation. These findings highlight the fact that curcumin inhibits EAE by blocking IL-12 signaling in T cells and suggest its use in the treatment of MS and other Th1 cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.

NHE

I have used that stuff for 15 years! Maybe its been helping and I didnt realize it

This is a continuation of a study reported on back in 2009:

http://www.thisisms.com/ftopicp-52248-a ... html#52248

It does look like taking albuterol for the first year of being on copaxone leads to better outcomes.

Of course there is no point in taking this data to our neurolgist as its not enough for him to prescribe the product for my husband. My husband is a goody two shoes who will only do what the neurologist says.

Some days I could shoot both of them.

I've was reading up on this news after it came up in my Google alerts.
Have i got it wrong or is it that Curcumin does exactly the same thing as it's claimed Albuterol does?

And i may be too sceptical but as a neuro amateur i read it all thinking the good results were as a result of Albuterol comined with Copaxone until i noticed that both drugs were made by Teva.

Surely the Albuterol alone would produce results along with any interferon?

So, anway...Should i be taking Curcumin suppliment?