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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by uncouth on April 30, 2009, at 15:37:53
Hi folks,
So I'm interested in knowing whether there are any supplements/vitamins/minerals/herbs that act similarly to Lamictal and Rilutek in their moderation of glutamate.
Rilutek is an awfully expensive drug and I'm wondering if I can possibly "replicate" it's effects with a supplement regimen.
Thanks,
Alex
Posted by whitmore on April 30, 2009, at 22:00:06
In reply to Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole, posted by uncouth on April 30, 2009, at 15:37:53
N-acetylcysteine I think, which is OTC. See link below(alternative). More info if you do a babble search.
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20090204/msgs/887620.html
Memantine also. But expensive--not so much as Rilutek, but still $$.
Posted by uncouth on April 30, 2009, at 22:11:02
In reply to Re: Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole, posted by whitmore on April 30, 2009, at 22:00:06
on both already :)
what else out there.....?
Posted by Larry Hoover on April 30, 2009, at 22:42:47
In reply to Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole, posted by uncouth on April 30, 2009, at 15:37:53
Taurine is a direct modulator of glutamatergic receptors. It will completely abolish any side effects from MSG, for example, in the periphery. And it crosses the BBB and does the same in the brain and CNS.
There are dedicated taurine uptake pumps in the brain, and it is co-released with glutamate into many synapses. The difficulty with using it as an exogenous modulator is that it is a natural neuromodulator already, and there are all kinds of ways the body will regulate the duration of the effects. That's one reason why drug effects are hard to replicate with natural substances. Drugs work so potently because they are foreign to the body, and escape many regulatory and metabolic control mechanisms.
Lar
Posted by uncouth on May 1, 2009, at 12:17:29
In reply to Re: Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole » uncouth, posted by Larry Hoover on April 30, 2009, at 22:42:47
hmm never heard of people taking adjunctive taurine and it helping with mood disorders. do you know of any studies or recommendations involving supplamental taurine? is there stuff on biopsychiatry.com about it? is it called something different besides just "Taurine".
Right about now i'm in the "try anything" mode.
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 1, 2009, at 17:43:09
In reply to Re: Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole, posted by uncouth on May 1, 2009, at 12:17:29
Well, it would be supportive for mood disorders, but it is more strictly anxiolytic. I think if you go to pubmed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez and search on "taurine anxiety" you'll get a good start on the subject. Mostly rodent studies, because you can't patent/profit from a natural substance. That said, the treatment for alcoholism, acamprosate, is based on taurine. And it activates GABA receptors while blocking NMDA receptors.
Lar
Posted by SLS on May 1, 2009, at 18:03:38
In reply to Re: Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole » uncouth, posted by Larry Hoover on May 1, 2009, at 17:43:09
Is there any advantage to adding magnesium to taurine to help act as an aniglutamatergic at the NMDA receptor?
- Scott
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 1, 2009, at 18:44:48
In reply to Re: Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole » Larry Hoover, posted by SLS on May 1, 2009, at 18:03:38
> Is there any advantage to adding magnesium to taurine to help act as an aniglutamatergic at the NMDA receptor?
>
>
> - ScottI believe so, Scott, as they act in different ways. I would anticipate an additive effect.
Lar
Posted by mogger on May 7, 2009, at 11:46:41
In reply to Re: Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole, posted by whitmore on April 30, 2009, at 22:00:06
I am trying N-acetylcysteine for OCD. I was wondering if the way it is similar to lamictal/riluzole is because of the glutamate modulation or does it also affect sodium and calcium channels?
mogger
Posted by desolationrower on May 13, 2009, at 3:09:25
In reply to Re: Supplements to replicate Lamictal / Riluzole, posted by mogger on May 7, 2009, at 11:46:41
afaik it affects tonic glutamate levels via the glutamate-cystine antiporter, not anything about ion channels
-d/r
This is the end of the thread.
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