is a 11-year-old drug, which is often used to treat people infected by parasites in Africa, and may help alleviate some symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Researchers urged people to be vigilant about the preliminary results of this drug called suramin. The study was very small and involved only boys, who took only one dose of medicine.
This study is well designed, but the results do not necessarily indicate that suramin can treat autism. Dr. Jay Gargus, director of the Autism Research and Translation Center at the University of California, Irvine, said that he would not participate in the study. [Beyond the vaccine: 5 things that may really cause autism]
"I don't think suramin is an important part of the paper," said Gargus. The important part of the paper is how [the author] carefully describes the measures he will take, how he will take these measures, and how he will work by understanding the effects of these drugs.
Still, the preliminary results are encouraging. The research leader, Dr. Robert Naviox, is the co-director of genetics and * * * of the Center for Mitochondrial and Metabolic Diseases at the University of California, San Diego. Naviaux said in a statement that a single treatment with low dose of suramin is safe and can significantly improve the core symptoms and metabolism related to ASD. The suramin study
included 1 ASD boys aged 5-14. Five boys received a small dose of suramin and five boys received a placebo. This study is double-blind, which means that neither participants nor researchers know which participants took drugs and which participants took placebos.
After treatment, the boys in Suramin group have improved in social interaction, language and language. Researchers say they are calmer and more focused, show less repetitive behaviors, and do not need to use their coping skills. These differences were recorded through observation techniques, interviews and questionnaires.
the report from the parents of the boys showed that the five boys treated with suramin improved within three weeks, and then gradually decreased to the original baseline level within the next three weeks. In the study, the researchers said,
"We have four non-verbal children in the study," Naviaux said, adding that the two children treated with suramin spoke their first words after one week of treatment. Naviaux said that this did not happen to two nonverbal children who took placebos.
In addition, boys who took suramin made more progress in their speech therapy and occupational therapy programs than boys who took placebo, Naviaux said. How does suramin work
German dye manufacturer Friedrich Bayer developed suramin in 1916, which was originally called Bayer 25. This drug has been proved to be effective against the parasite that causes sleeping sickness in Africa.
suramin works by preventing some molecules from binding to protein, which exists in every cell of human body and is called "purinergic receptor". Naviaux's idea is that cells under stress release certain molecules, and then these molecules combine with purinergic receptors, damaging cell function.
Although it is not clear what causes autism, it may be partly driven by the impaired communication between cells in the brain, intestine and immune system, he said. Other reasons may include genetic and environmental factors, he said.
In autistic patients, suramin may prevent molecules from binding to purinergic receptors and make cells function more normal, Naviaux said. [1 things you don't know about the brain]
Early studies on mice with autism showed that this drug relieved some symptoms of cond. For example, according to a study published in the journal Public Library of Science Comprehensive in 213, suramin improved social behavior, metabolism and motor coordination in 6-week-old autistic mice. Another study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry in 214 said that < P >, adult mice treated with suramin showed improvement in social behavior and metabolism, but exercised. Reactions and concerns
Other researchers called Naviaux's view on the role of purinergic receptors in autism "a new hypothesis," but said it was a creative way to think about the molecular process behind autism, "said Gargus, who pointed out several limitations in the research. For example, all five boys in the suramin group developed a temporary rash, while the placebo group did not. Gargus said that the parents of Suramin's group may have noticed this and realized that their children had taken the drug and inadvertently "blinded" the research. Researchers also mentioned this in their research. Gargus said: < P > More importantly, the boys in the placebo group showed little improvement in the neurobehavioral test, because usually the placebo has a strong effect, while the placebo group showed some improvement.
Gargus added that considering the number of tests in the study, it is not surprising that the autistic group scored higher on some indicators than the placebo group. " If you give enough scales, one of them may bring you remarkable results. [Typical child behavior, or ADHD? 1 statements]
Suramin is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of autism, and the drug has not yet been marketed. Naviaux has filed a patent application related to the anti-uric acid treatment of ASD and related diseases, and the two authors of this study are in contact with pharmaceutical companies.
The study was published online in the Journal of Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology on May 26th.
is an original article about life science.