According to mdindia website, fumarate has been used to treat severe psoriasis. Now, researchers have found that the drug can also help prevent multiple sclerosis (MS). The study was published in the current issue of the Journal of Neurology brain.

Ten years ago, Bochum, a researcher at Ruhr University (rub) in Bochum, speculated that the drug might be beneficial to MS because of the Th2 polarization mechanism of fumarate.

Now, rub neuroscientists have found that fumarate releases free radicals in the process of clearing inflammation, thus protecting neurons and glial cells.

Psoriasis, like MS, is an autoimmune disease. Its immune system attacks human cells. In MS, the "myelin insulating layer" of axons is damaged in this way.

Professor Ralf gold of St. Joseph's Hospital of Ruhr university hospital and colleagues found that the effect of fumarate is different from the "standard drug" against Ms. it is not only based on inhibiting or regulating the immune system, but also clearing the destructive "oxygen free radicals" released during inflammation, so as to support the survival of nerve cells.

The transcription factor Nrf2 plays a key role in this.

"In this way, fumaric acid occupies a special position in MS as a neuroprotective / antioxidant," gold said.

Under the leadership of gold, an international, placebo-controlled, blind fumarate bg12 study involving 1200 MS patients has just been completed.

The assessment is expected to take place in the summer of 2011.

"If the study is successful, it will be easy to speculate that the antioxidant effect of fumaric acid is synergistically enhanced with the confirmed MS drugs such as interferon - B, so as to form an ideal combination therapy," gold said.

"According to current knowledge, it is very important that fumaric acid and interferon do not have any long-term risk - unlike many powerful MS drugs in modern times," he added.