Fumaric acid ester effective against multiple sclerosis

Psoriasis medication relieves MS symptoms

07.11.2012

Scientists at the Ruhr University Bochum have discovered a new way to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). The „long-proven active substance against psoriasis“ Fumaric acid esters have significantly alleviated MS symptoms in recent studies, report Professor. Ralf Gold from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum and colleagues.

Although MS is incurable to this day, modern medicines can slow down the course considerably. Indeed „the drugs are either limited in their effectiveness or associated with serious side effects“, so the announcement of the Ruhr University. Fortunately, however, the proven long-time against psoriasis proven fumaric acid ester to help alleviate MS symptoms. Through the application, the MS patients had suffered 50 percent fewer MS relapses and up to 90 percent less inflammatory active foci, reported the Ruhr University. The researchers around Professor Ralf Gold could now prove how fumaric acid ester protects the nerve cells from multiple sclerosis.

Firewall protects nerve cells from MS
Coincidentally, physicians had discovered some time ago that fumaric acid ester can have a very positive effect on MS patients. In patients with both MS and psoriasis, „The symptoms of MS improved conspicuously with the use of drugs with fumaric acid ester“, reports the Ruhr University Bochum. Now the neurologists around Professor Gold have been able to prove how the fumaric acid ester protects against MS symptoms. „The nerve cells are protected by a firewall against inflammatory messengers, especially against free radicals and nitric oxide“, explained Professor Gold. In a study of more than 2,400 patients, the researchers reported that fumaric acid esters reduced MS relapses by up to 50 percent, and that the inflammatory active foci in the organism of MRI-visible patients were up to 90 percent reduced. A thoroughly convincing effect of the psoriasis medicine.

Fumaric acid ester highly effective against MS and still harmless
Not only the effect of fumaric acid ester against MS could convince the researchers, but also the comparatively small side effects speak in the opinion of the neurologists for the application of the psoriasis medicine. Although fumaric acid ester digestive complaints are known as widespread side effect, which affects around 40 percent of patients in dermatological use. But by a modified formulation of the drug, the side effects could be greatly reduced, report the scientists of the Ruhr University Bochum. Only three to five percent of the patients would have shown the corresponding side effects. Fumaric acid ester is so „highly effective and yet harmless - a new experience of MS therapy!“, stressed Professor Gold.

MS most common neurological cause of disabilities
MS is a disease of the body's immune system (autoimmune disease), in which chronic inflammatory processes attack the central nervous system. The insulating layer of the nerve fiber tracts is destroyed by its own immune system. Because the disease can affect the entire central nervous system, multiple sclerosis can cause many different neurological symptoms. These range from visual disturbances to pain and numbness in the limbs to motor disorders and paralysis. Also swallowing disorders, dizziness and speech disorders are possible consequences of MS. The disease is considered to be the most common neurological cause of disability in young adults in this country, with around 130,000 people affected, reports the Ruhr University Bochum. Effective drugs to relieve MS symptoms are therefore of high medical interest.

Fruit acid as an aid in the fight against multiple sclerosis
The fact that fumaric acid ester can significantly alleviate the symptoms of MS patients was not only a positive surprise for the scientists of the Ruhr University Bochum. Since the 1990s, various preparations have been used against MS, but with rather modest success. They either did not show the desired effect or were associated with massive side effects, which made a use hardly recommendable, the scientists report. The already proven in psoriasis fumaric promises here now efficient symptom relief without side effects. Fumaric acid ester is extracted from the fruit acid fumaric acid. This can be found in many plants, fungi and lichens but also in the human body. Fumaric acid is also approved as a food additive and is used in the food industry as an acidulant. (Fp)

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Image: Dieter Schütz