MS symptoms relieved with plaquenil?

bluwater · Not So Newbie Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 8

I have had MS symptoms for three years. MRI revealed no MS leisions. Further testing was done but no results yet.I have been on plaquenil for a month. For about two weeks now I have not experienced any numbness or tingling in the usual places. Still in pain and muscles still give out occasionally.
Anyone else have these symptoms with Lupus? Has plaq helped? Cool

Saysusie · Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 1:45 am Post subject:

Plaquenil is one of the anti-malarial drugs known as hydroxychloroquine. Anti-malarial medications are also anti-rheumatic drugs. Anti-malarials are particularly effective in treating skin and joint symptoms that may occur in SLE. They have been demonstrated to improve: muscle and joint pain, inflammation of the lining of the heart (pericarditis), inflammation of the lining of the lung (pleuritis), and other symptoms of lupus such as fatigue and fever.
Anti-malarials appear to interfere with immune cellular function. The antimalarials are weak bases and can alter the pH inside the cell, thus interfering with intracellular enzyme activity that depends on a more acidic micro environment. When this occurs, there is an anti-inflammatory effect. Many chemicals that participate in the inflammatory cascade are altered, and blood is thinned due to alterations in platelet aggregation.

It is also known that anti-malarials protect against the damaging effects of ultraviolet light and can improve skin lesions.

In addition, anti-malarials combine with certain chemicals or groups of proteins that play a role in the immune response. Anti-malarials have an effect on immune mediators, such as cytokines: They decrease auto-antibody production, inhibit the proliferative response of lymphocytes that are activated, and may have a direct effect on DNA. In these ways anti-malarials have the potential to put the disease into remission.

I hope this was helpful
Saysusie