01638nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653000900058653002200067653002200089653002600111653001200137653002000149653001100169653001100180653002300191653001200214653000900226653000900235653002400244653001200268653001600280653002200296100001200318700001600330700001300346245010900359300001000468490000800478520078800486022001401274       1999                            d  c1999 May 0110aAged10aAged, 80 and over10aAlzheimer Disease10aAmyloid beta-Peptides10aAnimals10aCells, Cultured10aFemale10aHumans10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aMale10aMice10aMice, Inbred BALB C10aNeurons10aNeurotoxins10aPeptide Fragments1 aEndoh M1 aKunishita T1 aTabira T00aNo effect of anti-leprosy drugs in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease and beta-amyloid neurotoxicity.  a28-300 v1653 a<p>There is continuing controversy as to whether or not anti-leprosy drugs prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, we examined the effect of anti-leprosy drugs on the prevalence of AD in leprosy patients, and also investigated the effect of anti-leprosy drugs on amyloid beta-protein (Abeta)-induced neurotoxicity in vitro. The present study suggests that anti-leprosy treatments do not prevent the onset of AD. None of our data found anti-leprosy drugs (dapsone, rifampicin, clofazimine, minomycin or ofloxacin) had any effect on Abeta neurotoxicity. It is now important to examine the infection of Mycobacterium leprae in the central nervous system to clarify the reason for the low prevalence of senile dementia, and low frequency of Abeta deposition in leprosy patients.</p>  a0022-510X