Dandruff shampoo fights epilepsy?

[Bernard]

Looks like a common component of dandruff shampoo might be helpful:

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that the same ingredient used in dandruff shampoos to fight the burning, itching and flaking on your head also can calm overexcited nerve cells inside your head, making it a potential treatment for seizures. Results of the study can be found online in Nature Chemical Biology.

Epilepsy and other seizure disorders result when nerves excessively or inappropriately “fire” in the brain. The brain’s “off” switches fail in part due to protein defects that prevent potassium from exiting nerve cells and calming them. “Channels that carry potassium,” says Min Li, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins, “must open on cue to make sure nerve cells only fire for defined periods of time.”

In their studies of these channels, Li and his colleagues developed a new way of testing thousands of druglike molecules to find any that could turn the potassium switch on or off. Their approach involved chemically shaving off all the potassium channels on the cell surface and forcing the cells to make new channels. By measuring the activity of the new channels, the researchers could identify molecules that accelerated the recovery.

One chemical that proved quite effective in improving channel recovery was zinc pyrithione (ZnPy), the active ingredient in many dandruff shampoos. Li explains that ZnPy has a shape that allows it to fit into the gate region of the channel protein and allow more potassium flow. “If you think of these channels as doors on the cell’s surface,” Li says, “then ZnPy made this door both easier to open and stay open longer. It’s like a tunable hinge that helps sticky doors swing freely.”

The researchers then tested defective channels that contain the same mutations known in humans to cause mild epilepsy-like seizures in infants. Bathing cells with small amounts of ZnPy caused the mutant potassium channels to let three times as much potassium flow through, raising the possibility of restoring normal nerve cell activity.

“Most drug discoveries uncover chemicals that stop things from working - it’s a lot easier to close or block a door than open it,” Li says. “But here we found a chemical that makes a defective protein work better. So now we have a chance to actually try to fix the causes of epilepsy, rather than traditionally circumventing them. Plus, this study really shows that we don’t fully appreciate the biological roles of many familiar chemicals that surround us.”

###
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Authors on the paper are Qiaojie Xiong, Haiyan Sun and Min Li, all of Johns Hopkins.

On the Web:
http://neuroscience.jhu.edu/index.php
www.nature.com/neuro

Anti-dandruff Compound May Help Fight Epilepsy

It's not clear from the article if they are suggesting that using shampoo will help curb seizures (I kinda doubt that) or that the ZnPy compound can be useful if taken in a form that uptakes into the brain. I'd guess that someone will be marketing a pill soon containing this compound for ingestion.

[RobinN]

I had forgotten about this one. Sure worth a try...anything that keeps the hair clean.
I do remember Rebecca having "cradle cap" far longer than any of the other children her age. Now I read that it might be connected to yeast in the system. Eczema too, which she also had.

[speber]

I just started using Head and Shoulders for some bad dandruff. I think it's related to Trileptal or Zonisamide myself...but either way I'm having to try this out now.

I'll keep you posted on the shampoo vs E front.

So far so good on the Mg vs E front.

Peace

[RobinN]

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that the same ingredient used in dandruff shampoos to fight the burning, itching and flaking on your head also can calm overexcited nerve cells inside your head, making it a potential treatment for seizures. Results of the study can be found online in Nature Chemical Biology.

Epilepsy and other seizure disorders result when nerves excessively or inappropriately “fire” in the brain. The brain’s “off” switches fail in part due to protein defects that prevent potassium from exiting nerve cells and calming them. “Channels that carry potassium,” says Min Li, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins, “must open on cue to make sure nerve cells only fire for defined periods of time.”

Rebecca is experiencing a high level of stress the last few days, and her scalp is burning and itching. She says she has connected it to when she is upset. I think it is high time to try this shampoo.

Would be great if this were happening in place of a seizure.

[brain]

It's true Bernard, they were posting
and discussing this on the EFA forum
for awhile and in the research, had
been using it on young children to
reduce seizures. Strange, but it works!

I don't know if you can pull the info
out of the EFA archives (as some of
the stuff had gotten lost), but if you
are able to - there's links in there
and you might be able to pull out
even MORE information!

I will be heading to bed soon, and
I've got so much to do - I would
have done it for you.

[Stacy]

this is really cool! I'll get a certain shampoo and be 'Head and Shoulders above the rest!" AND I could stop / slow down on the seizure threshold. I have to try one thing at a time though..

I too am off to bed>

[brain]

Actually I've seen postings that
Selsun Blue was the best (but that
brand is awfully expensive) ...

I'm curious as how it works - I have
very oily hair so that option isn't
available for me, because dandruff
shampoos only makes my hair oilier!

[angel]

Ive been using it for about two months and my hair stopped falling out....I still have simple partial seizures before my menstrual cycle .... so i cant say its really helped my seizures.. & my seizures are mild! So im thinking its good for hair loss from anti-epileptic drug's .... as for seizures NO its not helping.. im using western family its only 3.99 the others are around $6.00 or more.... its interesting that the news articles talk about potassium levels because mine tend to be low..
anyone else have trouble with low potassium levels?

[BuckeyeFan]

From Bernard's description, this sounds like it would be worth researching for multiple sclerosis as well. When you get down to the level of the chemical exchange between neurons, E and MS are pretty similar.

[angel]

http://www.drugs.com/cdi/pyrithione-zinc-shampoo.html

pyrithione zinc is the active ingredrent in dandurff shampoo...Brand Name: Examples include Denorex and DermaZinc Shampoo

Before using Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo:

Some medical conditions may interact with Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

* if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
* if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
* if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
* if you have a condition that covers a large area of the body

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo. Because little, if any, of Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo is absorbed into the blood, the risk of it interacting with another medicine is low.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
How to use Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo:

Use Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

* Shake well before each use.
* Wet hair thoroughly. Apply Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo and work into a lather. Rinse thoroughly and repeat.
* For best results, use Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo at least 2 times per week or as directed by your doctor. Do not use more often than once daily.
* If you miss a dose of Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo, use the dose when you remember. Continue to use Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo as directed by your doctor or the package labeling.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Pyrithione Zinc Shampoo.
Important safety information:

read more by clicking link above

maybe its this shampoo I should try? since siezures are mild & im not having anymore kids .. angel -----" guinea pig"

[speber]

...I've been using Head and Shoulders for awhile and I've had NO seizures. That's no SO out-of-the-ordinary for me since I am down to only a couple a year, but here's the real test...
...me and mine have been through some SERIOUS sickness lately that's had me down enough to NORMALLY lower my threshold down enough to let those tonic clonic's come on in! However, they have not only stayed away...I actually feel pretty healthy AND my eczema cleared up!
My plan is to stick with this for now!...(until it's made illegal or too expensive as all WORTHY treatments seem to become in the end of course!).

Peace!

[RobinN]

I know you saw this Peace Man... but for anyone that has not... check it out:

Selinium, Seizures, Seborrhea

[RobinN]

Okay.. I went shopping for shampoo. Not just any shampoo mind you, not even the cheapest, or the most expensive. What I am looking for is the shampoo that has selinium and zinc in it. Head and Shoulders... Nope...Selsun Blue.... Nope on all of them. Couldn't find selinium in the ingredients label at all.

I did pick up one called: DHS Zinc Shampoo
Suppose to be theraputic and controls Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis

Perhaps the one mentioned in the article is a prescriptive shampoo. Maybe I should just blend all of the garlic, onion, broccoli, etc together and make a juice, or shampoo out of it. We just might be able to market it...

[angel]

Pyrithione Zinc is the main ingredients in dandruff shampoo's I havent had any complex partial seizures but its to soon for me to tell... the shampoo ive been using has 1% Pyrithione Zinc or (ZnPy)

the shampoo above in link i posted has 2% Pyrithione Zinc or (ZnPy)


I have to admit that Robins garlic, onion, broccoli, juice, or shampoo sounds much better, you would smell though.. yuck!

love angel

[RobinN]

The typical daily intake of zinc in the Western diet is approximately 10 mg, two-thirds of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Low zinc intake is often seen in the elderly, alcoholics, people with anorexia, and individuals on restrictive weight loss diets. Zinc deficiency can also be caused by diseases that interfere with the absorption of nutrients from food, such as irritable bowel disease, Celiac disease, and chronic diarrhea.

Some of the symptoms of zinc deficiency include loss of appetite, poor growth, weight loss, impaired taste or smell, poor wound healing, skin abnormalities (such as acne, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis), hair loss, lack of menstrual period, night blindness, hypogonadism and delayed sexual maturation, white spots on the fingernails and feelings of depression.

******

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Zinc levels may be low in women with PMS. Zinc is required for synthesis and action of many hormones, including sex hormones. This change to sex hormones may explain the possible connection between zinc and PMS. However, it is not currently known whether zinc supplements or increased zinc in the diet will lessen the symptoms of PMS.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/zinc-000344.htm

[darkmarkshark]

*Brain, I have very oily hair and dandruff. Head and shoulders makes a dandruff shampoo especially for those with oily hair

This does make me wonder about the fact that I have less seizures when I wash my hair, even though I know the correlation is most likely that I feel up to washing my hair because I am not having seizures.

[RobinN]

I think I would be washing my hair everyday.

[jazz'smum]

Just posted that Epilum is controlling Jacinta's seizures and then read this post.
Funny I have been washing Jacinta's hair with Selsun for the last 3 weeks as she has had a lot of dandruff, about the same time we started Epilum.
I can tell you the selsun is working great for the dry scalp but dont know if its the epilum or selsun controlling seizures now!