New Inosine study results

dignan · Family Elder Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 1186

These results were just added to pubmed. I'm not sure if this is one of the inosine studies that's been widely reported on, but it's at least a new abstract discussing some promising results.

Therapeutic value of serum uric acid levels increasing in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Vojnosanit Pregl. 2006 Oct;63(10):879-82.
Toncev G.
Clinical Center Kragujevac, Center of Neurology, Kragujevac, Srbija.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Uric acid was successfully used in both, prevention and treatment of the animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Recently it has been shown that inosine, a ribosylated precursor of uric acid, might be used to elevate serum uric acid levels in MS patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral inosine as a single drug treatment in patients with MS.

METHOD: We administered inosine orally to 32 MS patients from 2001-2004 year at doses from 1-2 g daily (given twice) depending on the pretreatment serum uric acid levels. The mean follow-up interval was 37.69+/-6.55 months. The other 32 MS patients, without any treatment except for a relapse period (matched by age, sex, duration of disease and functional disability), were used as controls. The follow-up interval of these patients was 36.39 +/- 2.68 months. The neurological disability was evaluated by the Expanded Disability Status Scale score (EDSS).

RESULTS: During the observed period the treated MS patients were found to have the lower relapses rate than the non-treated MS patients (Chi-square test, p = 0.001). None of the patients have showed any adverse effect of inosine treatment. The non-treated MS patients were found to have a higher increasing in the mean EDSS score than the treated ones (two-way ANOVA-repeated measures/factor times, p = 0.025).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that the treatment approaches based on the elevation of serum uric acid levels might prove beneficial for some MS patients.

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jimmylegs · Family Elder Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 1999

hey cool, brother! i'll have to try to get the full text - i would like to see the serum values of the patients over the period of the inosine supplementation. good one!

CureOrBust · Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:11 pm Post subject:

It would also be good to know what the actual reduction in relapse is so as to compare to other treatments.

ljm · Family Elder Joined: Mar 31, 2005 Posts: 151

Great post. I think some of the earlier thread refered to a phase II trial "Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Using Over the Counter Inosine" funded by NCCAM. That study is showing as completed as of June 2006, I can't find any published results (I'll keep looking)

I think G Toncev's other research on uric acid is interesting, specifically, that methylprednisolone therapy increases uric acid levels (i.e that may be its method of activity on ms)

Also: my source for Jarrow Inosine ended and in fact I haven't been able to locate on www. Has anyone else in USA or Canada been able to purchase (there are other suppliers but Jarrow was highly recommended.)

CureOrBust · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 5:58 am Post subject:

I have been using Source Naturals which I purchase over the net from iHerb. They have 500mg Tablets.
In what way was jarrow expressed to be better than the others?

CureOrBust · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 6:14 am Post subject:

these guys seem to think they still have some (Jarrow) in stock http://www.lef.org/newshop/items/item00155.html "life extention" is jarrow isnt it.

Ignore this....

ljm · Family Elder Joined: Mar 31, 2005 Posts: 151

Hey, I got a copy of the full article, but its a really bad fax/pdf. I'm glad to email to anyone (until I find a site I can post these docs to). FYI the dose given was 1-2 gram daily with the goal of exceeding (not meeting) normal blood serum level. And, as Dignan's abstract pointed out, not only were there fewer relapses in the treated group, but within the treated group those with higher levels did best of all. Most impressively, 20/32 treated patients - or 62% - had NO RELAPSE or progression on EDSS scale over the test period. Unfortunately the study was not double blind/placebo-controlled, nor was the research group able to use MRI pre/post study to confirm impact on lesion activity. Taking all in mind, I'm definitely increasing my inosine supplements. ps. not only methylprednisone but also copaxone increases uric acid levels.

CureOrBust · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 3:48 am Post subject:

here is the article ljm spoke of, I don't know how long it will last up here, so grab it quick if you want it.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/9e55mu

Shayk · Family Elder Joined: Feb 07, 2004 Posts: 575

All---

Here’s a nice article (free access) on uric acid that contains several references to uric acid and MS. Some new info seems to be that UA can also protect against glutamate toxicity (and not just peroxynitrite formation).

Altered Uric Acid Levels and Disease States

Some select quotes…..from page 18

rainer · Family Elder Joined: Jan 18, 2008 Posts: 219

Has anyone seen/found the results to this study?

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00067327

Estimated Enrollment: 30
Study Start Date: February 2002
Estimated Study Completion Date: September 2005

Detailed Description:
Uric acid is a natural inhibitor of certain chemistries associated with peroxynitrite, a product of inflammation. In animal models of multiple sclerosis (MS), these chemical reactions have been associated with breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and CNS tissue damage. In addition, MS patients have serum uric acid levels that are lower than age- and sex- matched healthy individuals. The primary purpose of this study to determine whether raising low serum uric acid levels by daily oral administration of its precursor inosine has an effect on the cumulative number of newly active lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to evaluate the safety and tolerability of inosine in patients diagnosed with relapsing remitting and secondary progressive MS.

dignan · Family Elder Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 1186

Rainer, I haven't seen anything, but the US MS Society's roundup of agents in clinical trials for MS mentioned the inosine trial in 2006, and said results were not available. Now, the 2007 list has no mention of inosine. Since clinicaltrials.gov says it's completed, I'm going out on a limb and guessing that the results weren't impressive. Hopefully they'll release some results soon though.

jimmylegs · Family Elder Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 1999

fyi, i have been eating much liverwurst hoping to elevate my serum UA but at last test it was still bang on the MS patient average of 194. if i want to reach that optimal 290 i think i'm going to have to investigate the inosine avenue too.

rainer · Family Elder Joined: Jan 18, 2008 Posts: 219

I got a little more info on this study from the source.

"... we are still waiting for some of the data to be analyzed before we can publish anything. The results of our first trial a few years ago have been published and three other larger trials have been completed in Europe, with data from one already published. Their experience appears to be like ours, with a good enough effect to pursue larger studies if funding can be obtained.

Off the record, we have had remarkable success with several individuals who had high numbers of active lesions and lower than normal serum uric acid levels to begin with. The latter gives us some idea of whether or not there may be some success.

You may be interested to know that the idea that urate (raised by inosine) protects the brain in MS and other neurodegenerative diseases has a high likelihood of being followed up in a Parkinson’s trial."

g123 · Family Member Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 31

For those of you looking to increase your uric acid levels- what is your goal level? Is it still safely under the level where one would worry about gout? How often do you get tested?

Is it a simple blood test that a GP would prescribe?

g123 · Family Member Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 31

nevermind, these questions were answered in the other thread.
thanks Smile