BOSTON: Scientists are feverishly working towards discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and perhaps a viable option has been right under our noses this whole time: mefenamic acid, a drug commonly used for period pain.
The researchers in a new study say that nearly everybody will take mefenamic acid, which is a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), at some point in their lives.
Researchers from the University of Manchester outline a study in which they treated mice, which were genetically-engineered to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms, with mefenamic acid. There was also a control group of mice treated with a placebo so the researchers could compare the results.
Incredibly, the team, led by Dr. David Brough, observed that the drug completely reversed memory loss and brain inflammation in mice in just one month. The drug was delivered throughout the month via a mini-pump implanted under the skin.
“Our research shows for the first time that mefenamic acid, a simple Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug can target an important inflammatory pathway called the NLRP3 inflammasome , which damages brain cells,” Dr. Brough explained in a press release…