(November 1, 2007 - Insidermedicine) Minocycline has been shown to hasten the progress of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS in phase II trials, according to research published in The Lancet Neurology.

Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of ALS state that:
•    Early diagnosis in patients with whom ALS is suspected should be referred with high priority to an experienced neurologist
•    Treatment with Rilutek (riluzole) should be considered for those with ALS. This medicine has been shown to reduce progression of the disease and may  delay the need for a tracheostomy. This medicine can affect the liver so serum ALT levels should closely monitored

•    Treatment should be initiated as early as possible, taking into account expected therapeutic benefits and potential safety issues

Minocycline, the antibiotic sometimes used in acne, appears to have a neuroprotective in animal models with stroke, trauma, and neurodegenerative disorders. Phase II trials have suggested that minocin could be used safely by patients with ALS.

On the basis of these preliminary results, researchers from Columbia University and elsewhere, tested minocin as a treatment with ALS in more than 400 patients and compared their progress to patients on placebo.

Compared to the placebo-treated patients, those taking minocin deteriorated at a 25% faster rate according to the ALS functional rating scale. As a result, the researchers are reassessing the trials with minocin in other neurological diseases, such as Huntington’s disease, stroke, dementia, and multiple sclerosis.

While the initial symptoms of ALS can be quite varied, physicians should at least consider the possibility of ALS in patients presenting with muscle weakness; difficulty with speech, swallowing or breathing; “thick speech” and difficulty in projecting the voice.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.