The popular club drug, ecstasy, is showing promise as a possible cancer treatment. Scientists are looking at derivatives of the drug to treat different blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma. The derivative being used is modified, as an unmodified version at the dose necessary to kill a tumor would be fatal to a human.
Lead researcher John Gordon of the University of Birmingham says, "This is an exciting next step towards using a modified form of MDMA to help people suffering from blood cancer. While we wouldn't wish to give people false hope, the results of this research hold the potential for improvements in treatment for years to come," reports WebMD.
Ecstasy is chemically similar to methamphetamine, a stimulant. We already use methamphetamines in medicine. Granted, they are different than ecstasy and are, of course, controlled, but they are chemically similar and benefit millions of patients. We most often see this type of drug medically prescribed as a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and for obesity.
Ecstasy is also being looked at for its potential as a treatment for Parkinson's disease and post-traumatic stress. For Parkinson's disease, "researchers at Duke University, North Carolina, have found that ecstasy may reverse the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in mice. The researchers say the findings indicate that drugs could be made with similar effects to offer useful alternatives to current therapies," reports The Independent.
Of course, as research indicates, the version used for treating blood cancers and other conditions would be a modified version. The ecstasy that has become a popular club drug has lethal potential and can cause a variety of unpleasant and dangerous side effects ranging from nausea, sweating and chills to interfering with body temperature regulation and muscle cramping.
It is a dangerous drug in its street form. It is also a drug that has a potential for a abuse, therefore, scientists are searching for a way to make it therapeutic and effective for medicinal purposes while removing as much of the danger as possible.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Research scientific director Dr. David Grant said, "Many types of lymphoma remain hard to treat and nontoxic drugs which are both effective and have few side effects are desperately needed. Further work is required but this research is a significant step forward in developing a potential new cancer drug," reports The Guardian.
While research is still in the very early stages, it looks promising. Scientists believe that further work with the ecstasy derivatives could eventually lead to patient trials.
R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen began her career in health care in 2002, when she began nursing school. She is now a full-time medical writer with expertise in a variety of health fields, specifically trauma, public health, cancer, infectious disease, women's health, and research. She combines her education, experience, and passion for health and medicine to influence her writing.
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