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 he was not involved in the study. [Beyond the vaccine: 5 things that may really lead to autism]
"I don't think Suramin is an important part of newspapers," Gargus said. 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 play a role by understanding the functions of these drugs.
Despite this, the preliminary results are encouraging, and 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 low-dose suramin monotherapy is safe and can significantly improve the core symptoms and metabolism related to ASD.
The suramin study included 10 autistic 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, more focused, show less repetitive behaviors, and don't need to use their coping skills. These differences were recorded through observation techniques, interviews and questionnaires. From the boy's parents.
The researchers said in the study that the report showed that the five boys treated with suramin improved within three weeks, and then gradually decreased to the initial baseline level within the next three weeks.
"In this study, we have four children who can't talk," Naviaux said, adding that two children treated with suramin spoke their first words after one week of treatment. Naviox said that this did not happen to the two dumb children who took the placebo.
In addition, boys who took suramin made more progress in speech therapy and occupational therapy programs than boys who took placebo, Naviaux said.
How does Suramin work as a German dye manufacturer? Friedrich Bayer Company developed Suramin on 19 16, formerly known as Bayer 205. This drug has been proved to be effective against parasites that cause sleeping sickness in Africa.
The working principle of suramin is to prevent some molecules from combining with protein. protein exists in every cell of human body and is called "purinergic receptor". Naviaux's idea is that cells release certain molecules under pressure, and then these molecules combine with purinergic receptors to destroy cell function.
He said that although the cause of autism is still unknown, it may be partly caused by impaired communication between cells in the brain, intestine and immune system. He said that other reasons may include genetic and environmental factors.
Naviaux said that in autistic patients, suramin may prevent molecules from binding to purine receptors, making the cell function more normal. [10 Things you don't know about the brain]
Early studies on autistic mice showed that this drug relieved some symptoms of cond. For example, according to a study published in PLoS 20 13, suramin improved the social behavior, metabolism and motor coordination ability of 6-week-old autistic mice, and another study published in the journal of translational psychiatry 20 14 said that,
Adult mice treated with suramin showed improvement in social behavior and metabolism, but no improvement in motor skills.
Reactions and concerns from other researchers indicate that Naviaux's view on the role of purinergic receptors in autism is "a new hypothesis", but it is a creative way to think about the molecular process behind autism, "Gargus said.
Gargus 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 study. Researchers also mentioned this in their research. Gogs said:
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 than the placebo group on some indicators. "If you give enough scales, one of them may bring you remarkable results. [Typical child behavior, or ADHD? 10 report]
Suramin has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of autism, and the drug is not yet on the market. Naviaux has filed a patent application related to the anti-uric acid treatment of ASD and related diseases, and two authors of this study are in contact with pharmaceutical companies.
The study was published online in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology on May 26th.
This is an original article about life science.