ALSUntangled #64: butyrates

Yuyao Sun, Neurology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Richard Bedlack, Neurology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Carmel Armon, Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
Morgan Beauchamp, Undergraduate, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Tulio Bertorini, Neurology Department, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Robert Bowser, Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA.Follow
Mark Bromberg, Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
James Caress, Department of Neurology, Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem, NC, USA.
Gregory Carter, Department of Rehabilitation, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Spokane, WA, USA.
Jesse Crayle, Neurology Department, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Merit E. Cudkowicz, Neurology Department, Mass General Brigham Inc, Boston, MA, USA.
Jonathan D. Glass, Neurology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Carlayne Jackson, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Isaac Lund, Student, Green Hope High School, Cary, NC, USA.
Sarah Martin, Physical Therapy Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Sabrina Paganoni, Neurology Department, Mass General Brigham Inc, Boston, MA, USA.
Gary Pattee, Department of Neurology, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
Dylan Ratner, Student, Longmeadow High School, Longmeadow, MA, USA.
Kristiana Salmon, Department of Neurology, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal Canada.
Paul Wicks, Independent Consultant, UK.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

ALSUntangled reviews alternative and off-label treatments for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS). Here we review butyrate and its different chemical forms (butyrates). Butyrates have plausible mechanisms for slowing ALS progression and positive pre-clinical studies. One trial suggests that sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) in combination with Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) can slow ALS progression and prolong survival, but the specific contribution of NaPB toward this effect is unclear. Butyrates appear reasonably safe for use in humans. Based on the above information, we support a trial of a butyrate in PALS, but we cannot yet recommend one as a treatment.

Keywords

ALS, alternative therapy, butyrate, gut microbiome, neuroinflammation

Medical Subject Headings

Humans; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (drug therapy); Butyrates (therapeutic use)

Publication Date

11-1-2022

Publication Title

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration

E-ISSN

2167-9223

Volume

23

Issue

7-8

First Page

638

Last Page

643

PubMed ID

35225121

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1080/21678421.2022.2045323

Link to Full Text

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