In the 1970s,<unk>  was used by athletes in Eastern countries in an attempt to improve performance. Subsequent studies in humans suggest that<unk>  supplementation has no effect on athletic performance. Animal studies have suggested that<unk>  has neuroprotective properties. It has been proposed for spinal cord injury and for administration after stroke, because observation suggests that<unk>  induces axonal rewiring. After ingestion,<unk>  is metabolized into uric acid, which has been suggested to be a natural antioxidant and peroxynitrite scavenger with potential benefits to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Peroxynitrite has been correlated with axon degeneration In 2003, a study was initiated at the University of Pennsylvania MS Center to determine whether raising the levels of uric acid by the administration of<unk>  would slow the progression of MS. The study was completed in 2006 but the results were not reported to NIH. A subsequent publication hinted at potential benefits but the sample size (16 patients) was too small for a definitive conclusion. In addition, the side effect of the treatment was the development of kidney stones in four of 16 patients. With phase II trials for Parkinson's disease completed,<unk>  will continue to phase III trials. Earlier trials suggested that patients with the highest serum urate levels had slower progression of Parkinson's symptoms. The trial uses<unk>  to raise urate levels in those with levels lower than the population mean (6 mg/dL). Alseres Pharmaceuticals (named Boston Life Sciences when patent was granted) patented the use of<unk>  to treat stroke and was investigating the drug in the MS setting. In the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System, it is classified as an antiviral.
Inosine
Choline
Homocysteine
Cysteamine
Inositol
Uridine triacetate
Fructosamine
Nicotinamide