Study finds antibiotic limits brain damage
The antibiotic minocycline has shown promise in limiting damage to brain cells after a stroke. Trials are underway to see if it can have any positive effects on those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury as well. Administering the antibiotic minocycline within 24 hours after a stroke significantly reduced brain damage and physical impairment, Israeli researchers reported. The findings published in the journal Neurology, will not change clinical practice anytime soon, said Dr. John R. Marler, associate director for clinical trials at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. "They were looking for signs that it might be effective, and they concluded that it might be. We need a larger trial" to be sure, he said. The findings have nothing to do with infections, even though the drug is an antibiotic. Rather, the drug's anti-inflammatory properties may block damage to neurons from toxins released when other brain cells die, said Dr. Raymond A. Swanson of UC San Francisco. Swanson has previously shown in the test tube that minocycline blocks the activity of an enzyme called poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, which can trigger inflammation and cell death. The antibiotic is being studied in a variety of trials to determine whether it can protect brain cells in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and traumatic brain injury. None of the researchers reported any conflicts of interest. Minocycline is a generic drug that is widely used to treat acne, and it is generally considered safe.
