Yale University researchers created medicinal ‘cocktail’ that may stop Alzheimer’s in its tracks

The Alzheimer’s disease has been around since the 1900’s. It is a form of dementia in which the brain cells responsible for our memory and other functions start dying.

This leads to an incurable progressive memory loss and cognitive impairments that make daily life difficult. As of latest statistics, Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of mortality rate in the US. In fact, today, Alzheimer’s is no longer a disease of the old, because over 200,000 of Americans below the age of 65 are showing early-onset Alzheimer’s.

But because of the nature of Alzheimer’s, scientists and researchers are even more motivated to look for the cure that would help reverse Alzheimer’s. One of the numerous researchers in search of a cure for the disease are the researchers of Yale University.

One of the medicine that is being developed and explored today is a drug cocktail that holds the potential to stop Alzheimer’s. The dedicated researchers of Yale University discovered an innovative way of using an old antibiotic which we are familiar with as Suprax or Cefixime. This old and common antibiotic is used for treating bacterial infections such as Strep throat, UTI, Pnuemonia, and even Lyme disease.

The researchers of Yale University transformed Suprax or Cefixime into a liquid form that is capable of restoring synaptic connections, memories, and eventually, repair the cognitive impairments caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

In the process of discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, scientists have observed that the buildup of amyloid beta protein, or the protein accumulated between the nerve cells, is responsible behind the progressive disease.

When prion proteins, or misfolded proteins, mix with amyloid beta, plaque develop on the brain. This triggers a response from our immune system, that damages synaptic connections, disrupts neuron activity, and cell communication.

“We wanted to find molecules that might have an effect on this network,” Dr. Stephen Strittmatter, the lead researcher of the team, explained.

And so, Dr. Strittmatter and his team dedicated their time in finding out the compound that keeps the prion proteins and the amyloid beta away from one another. They believe that doing so would prevent the chain reaction that leads to the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

Lo and behold, after thousands of trial and error,  they finally discovered that all it takes to do that is a common antibiotic known as Suprax or Cefixime. As it turned out, the common antibiotic does the trick in keeping prion proteins and amyloid beta apart- well, after it has already decomposed and become liquid in form.

To test how well it would work, the researchers of the Yale University fed the liquefied form of the old antibiotic to mice bred with a similar brain disease to Azlheimer’s. And believe it or not, it did the trick! The disrupted synaptic connections in the mice’s brains were repaired and their memories were regained!

Their partner research team, Dartmouth University, also used the same liquefied form of the old antibiotic to treat cells damaged by an even more aggressive form of dementia- the Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease. Amazingly, the ‘cocktail drug’ worked effectively in those tests as well!

Now, the hardworking and dedicated scientists of Yale University and Dartmouth University are exploring the safety of the cocktail drug for humans. Since it did not manifest any dangerous nor alarming side effects to mice, they are on the process of developing a version of the liquefied drug designed for human consumption. Soon, they will begin the clinical trial for the cocktail drug that holds the potential to cure Alzheimer’s disease.

Knowing whether the new cocktail drug will work with humans might be a few years away. But one thing is for sure, the discovery of the drug that will stop Alzheimer’s disease from reclaiming human life is on its way! SHARE this article to spread the good news!