Saving Nerve function-Pregnenolone and DMSO

This article submitted by Arnold Gore on 6/20/99.
Email Address: nathealth@lycosmail.com

Dr. Julian Whitaker MD wrote in his Health & Healing February 1995 that severe spinal chord injury could now be treated successfully with Pregnenolone, a hormone that is available on prescription. It has been around since the 1940’s and was once used for treating arthritis, but was eventually replaced by cortisone.

In an animal study in which paralyzing spinal cord injuries were inflicted on 40 anesthetized experimental animals some were give pregnenolone with anti-inflammatory agents that stimulate growth factors in the body and others were given just anti-inflammatory agents. Eleven of sixteen given pregnenolone were able to walk again of which four were able to walk almost normally. Those receiving anti-inflammatory’s were not able to walk. 

This study “Key role for pregnenolone in combination therapy that promotes recovery after spinal cord injury.” was published in the Proceedings National Academy of Sciences,USA;Dec.1994; 91:12308-12312. The earliest application possible after the injury would logically be the best time to administer this, since the nerve endings are more likely to be active, but its worth a try later.

Pregnenolone is no longer preformulated and sold by a major drug company. A doctor will have to write a prescription that will have to be filled at a compounding Pharmacy. California Pharmacy and Compounding Center, 800-575-7776 will prepare a prescription and mail it to you.

If you can’t get your doctor to try this therapy try contacting the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) for a referral to a doctor near you who may be more open to try something different to help a patient. Their website: www.acam.org or tel.# 800-532-3688.

Another Alternative Drug recommended by Dr Whitaker for spinal cord injuries is Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO). DMSO is a drug which is produced as a by-product of paper manufacturing and is used a solvent in industry. Its medical uses were discovered 30 years ago by Dr. Stanley Jacob; Professor at Oregon Health Sciences University.

DMSO is controversial and the FDA cannot control it since it is also an industrial solvent. It is approved as a drug only for the treatment of interstitial cystitis. DMSO has the ability to penetrate the surface of the skin and carry whatever is on the outer face of the skin into the body. Therefore it is ESSENTIAL that the skin surface be CLEAN with no dirt or contaminants on the surface that you do not want inside the body. It also smells like garlic but this is no problem considering the benefits.

Research in Turkey on 20 patients with catastrophic head injuries were treated with DMSO within hours after the injury and every 6 hours thereafter until intracranial pressure was reduced. 14 Patients survived and only 1 had neurological damage.

References follow:

• Karaca,M et al. Dimethyl suflfoxide lowers ICP after closed head trauma. Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 1991;40:113-114 AND

• Kulaft,A et al. Dimetyl sulfoxide in the management of patients with brain swelling and increased ICP after closed head injury. Neurochiruga,1990:33:177-180

DMSO interacts with Clinoril, an anti-inflammatory drug, so if you are using this drug do not use DMSO.

Dr. Eugene Roberts PhD, who has been studying the effects of Pregnenolone suggested combining Pregnenolone with DMSO to make a paste that will get into the bloodstream quickly when topically applied to the spinal cord injury.

This sounds like a reasonable therapy worth trying, especially since conventional medical prognosis offers no prospect of recovering nerve function.