Post-Stroke Recovery of Motor Function with a New Combination of Medicines-A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objectives: Recovery of motor function after moderate to severe stroke is challenging given the paucity of therapeutic choices; we propose an effective treatment with a new combination of drugs which protect neuronal mitochondria from oxidative stress, inflammation, and subsequent apoptosis; also decrease excitotoxicity mostly by modulating the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Methods: The new combination consists of medications approved for human use in multiple pathologies: glutathione, oxytocin, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), deproteinated veal serum (Actovegin), vitamins C, B1, B6, B12, which were administered intravenously in an open-label, pilot study. Motor function was evaluated with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in 15 consecutive hemiplegic patients initially and at 1 month after administering first intravenous treatment, and subsequently. Results: When treatment was administered during days 10-35 post-stroke, motor improvement at 1 month evaluation post-treatment (mean ΔNIHSS score=-3.6, n=5) was significantly better than when administered at 35-100 days post-stroke (mean ΔNIHSS=-0.83, n=6, p=0.02), or when given after 3 months post-stroke (mean ΔNIHSS=0, n=4). Motor improvements at 2 and 3 months post-treatment were seen only in the group treated at 10-35 days post-stroke, with one complete recovery of hemiplegia at 6 months. Conclusion: Excellent results were obtained in subacute stroke patients with hemorrhagic transformation of is-chemic stroke, recommending it as a much needed addition to the current treatment options for stroke and more ample clinical trials.