An antioxidant that was invented about a dozen years ago to repair human cells was found to improve symptoms in mice suffering from a multiple sclerosis-like disease.
The antioxidant, dubbed MitoQ, has thought to have the ability to effectively fight neurodegenerative diseases in humans, but this is the first time it has been shown to fight an Multiple sclerosis-like virus, an Oregon Health and Sciences University news release reported.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the central nervous system.
This can result in " blurred vision and blindness, loss of balance, slurred speech, tremors, numbness and problems with memory and concentration," the news release reported.
The researchers induced mice to contract the disease experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE); this disorder resembles human MS.
The team looked at four groups of mice; one group had EAE only; one contracted EAE and was treated with MitoQ; one was given MitQ first and then induced to contract EAE; and the final "control" group did not contract EAE or receive treatment.
After 14 days the mice that contracted EAE and then were treated with MitoQ showed "reduced inflammatory markers and increased neuronal activity in the spinal cord," this led to a reduction in symptoms. The mice also showed a "reduced loss of axons, or nerve fibers and reduced neurological disabilities associated with the EAE," the news release reported. The mice that had been pre-treated with MitoQ showed the least problems.
"The MitoQ also significantly reduced inflammation of the neurons and reduced demyelination," P. Hemachandra Reddy, Ph.D. said. "These results are really exciting. This could be a new front in the fight against MS."
Moving forward the team plans to look at how MitoQ brain cell mitochondria in mice; human testing is still a ways off.
"It appears that MitoQ enters neuronal mitochondria quickly, scavenges free radicals, reduces oxidative insults produced by elevated inflammation, and maintains or even boosts neuronal energy in affected cells," Reddy said.
The team hopes the method will be used to treat conditions such as MS in the future.
