Author: Akhmetova Aigerim
Editor: Merentsova Anastasia
A study was carried out, as a result of which the drug "Sodium Phenylbutyrate-Taurusodiol" was given special attention, since it turned out that it plays an important role in the preservation of physical activity in patients with ALS.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease in which specific areas in the central nervous system are targeted. It leads to damage to motor neurons, which is expressed in paralysis and muscle atrophy. A striking example of the manifestation of this disease is the world-renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.
Sodium phenylbutyrate and taurusodiol have been shown to reduce neuronal death in experimental models, which was found in a double-blind study (neither the doctor nor the patient was aware of the details of the study).
For better reliability, the experiment was carried out in several medical institutions at once. A total of 137 people participated in the study, in which 89 participants took the drug and 48 drank a placebo. As a result of the experiment, carried out for 24 weeks, the interpretation of the obtained data on the ALSFRS-R scale (ALS progression scale) showed that the complex of sodium phenylbutyrate and Taurusodiol led to a slower functional decline, in contrast to placebo.
Summing up, the authors of the work proved that the use of this complex "Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Taurusodiol" really has a pronounced therapeutic effect on the preservation of the motor activity of persons suffering from ALS. However, one should not forget that for widespread treatment, it is necessary to conduct longer and large-scale clinical trials in order to assess the effectiveness and safety of this treatment method.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32877582/
