Prokarin

Prokarin (also known as Procarin) is an alternative medicine that consists of a mixture of histamine and caffeine. It is marketed as a treatment for fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS).[1] The idea behind this combination is that caffeine is a generally well tolerated stimulant which can help treat fatigue. Like most stimulants, caffeine causes vasoconstriction, so the vasodilation effects from concomitant histamine can counteract this. Prokarin is formulated as a transdermal patch since histamine isn't well absorbed when consumed orally. While brand name Prokarin can be expensive, it can be compounded by pharmacists if prescribed by a physician.[2]

Quackwatch lists Prokarin as one of the multiple sclerosis "cures" of which people should be wary.[2] While it doesn't treat the disease progression of MS, its usage for symptomatic management of fatigue in MS is controversial.

References

  1. ↑ Tejani AM, Wasdell M, Spiwak R, Rowell G, Nathwani S (2012). "Carnitine for fatigue in multiple sclerosis". Cochrane Database Syst Rev (Systematic review). 5: CD007280. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007280.pub3. PMC 6669252. PMID 22592719.
  2. 1 2 Barrett, Stephen (March 9, 2017). "Be Wary of Multiple Sclerosis "Cures"". Quackwatch. Retrieved 5 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)


This article is issued from Offline. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.