NEJM: Analysis of the efficacy of sodium benzoate-taurine glycol in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In experimental models, sodium benzoate and taurine glycol have been found to reduce neuron death.
the efficacy and safety of these two compounds in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
, researchers recruited alS participants who had been diagnosed with symptoms in the past 18 months in a multi-center, randomized, double-blind trial published in the top medical journal NEJM.
participants were randomly assigned sodium benzoate-taurine glycol (3 g sodium phenyrate and 1 g taurine glycol, once a day for 3 consecutive weeks, and then twice a day) or placebo therapy at a 2:1 scale.
The main outcome of this study was the rate of decline of the total score of the revised amyotrophic lateral sclerosis function scale (ALSFRS-R; the higher the score indicates better function), the secondary outcome was isometremic force, plasma phosphate axon surrosis H sub-base level drop, lung capacity, death, tracheotomy or permanent air conditioning;
the study screened 177 ALS patients and randomly assigned 137 people to receive sodium benzoate-taurine glycol (89 participants) or placebo (48 participants).
In the improved intentional therapy analysis, the average change rate of alSFRS-R for active drugs was -1.24 points per month, and for placebos it was -1.66 points per month (difference was 0.42 points per month; 95 percent confidence range was 0.03 to 0.81; P was 0.03).
two groups had no significant difference in secondary outcomes.
reactions to active drugs are mainly concentrated in the gastrointestinal tract.
alS patients treated with sodium benzoate-taurine glycol showed slower functional decline than placebos, according to alSFRS-R.
two groups had no significant difference in secondary outcomes.
necessary for larger and larger trials to assess the efficacy and safety of sodium benzoate-taurine glycol in ALS patients.
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