Glutathione
As an ALS treatment, glutathione and cysteine-containing supplements that increase glutathione appear reasonably safe, and they have a plausible mechanism, positive preclinical data and 2 interesting case reports. Unfortunately small clinical trials of glutathione itself and of acetylcysteine showed no significant benefit. Given these negative clinical trials, we do not advise PALS to take glutathione […]
Perampanel
Perampanel is a drug currently used to treat seizures which has a mechanism of action that theoretically could be useful in treating patients with ALS. A single flawed study in a mouse model of ALS showed some benefits of perampanel, but data from humans with ALS is quite limited. Due to the lack of data […]
Penicillin G/Hydrocortisone
In our opinion, there is no convincing evidence that GABA overload plays a role in ALS progression. PNG/HC has other theoretical mechanisms by which it could slow ALS progression, but previous human trials involving steroids and a trial of a b lactam with more potent effects on glutamate did not help. We have not been […]
Curcumin
Oral curcumin is safe, inexpensive, and has at least four potential mechanisms by which it might theoretically be useful in treating PALS. Flawed preclinical studies showed benefits of a curcumin chemical analog in a cell model of ALS, three PALS experienced validated motor improvements on regimens including curcumin (although there are several alternative explanations for […]
Hyperbaric Oxygen
Although there are plausible mechanisms by which HBOT could work in ALS and a flawed pre-clinical study showing benefit in a mouse model, the best available human trial of HBOT showed no benefit. Given this negative human trial and the fact that HBOT has potentially serious complications, we do not recommend HBOT for patients with […]
Inosine
Inosine is a low-cost supplement that increases the levels of urate, a naturally occurring antioxidant. With appropriate blood and urine monitoring, it appears reasonably safe. Epidemiologic data suggest that high urate levels may be associated with improved survival in ALS, which prompted preclinical studies and clinical trials of inosine. These are still ongoing and will […]
GM604
At this time ALSUntangled finds no independently verifiable data supporting the efficacy or even the safety of GM604 in patients with ALS. We believe that independent peer review and replication are fundamentals of good science (36,37). Accordingly, we share the FDA’s April 2015 opinion that the data on GM604 in ALS should be released now […]
Lunasin
Lunasin has interesting mechanisms of action that might be useful in treating ALS, and it appears reasonably safe although some forms of it are expensive. While some PALS have reported improvements on lunasin, we have thus far found only one in which we were able to independently validate these improvements. This patient had atypical features […]