Suramin is a drug mainly prescribed in Africa to treat sleeping sickness caused by tsetse fly bites. But researchers at the University of California have discovered other virtues in this century-old drug. After feeding it to autistic mice, the rodents all returned to perfectly normal behavior.
“Obviously there’s a long way to go between correcting an abnormality in mice and curing it in humans, but we think this approach is a new and sobering way for all those struggling with autism,” said Robert K. Naviaux of the San Diego School of Medicine. “The discovery that a single dose of drug can alter metabolism for weeks further means that this treatment might not be prescribed chronically,” the researchers insist. The behavior of the mice was indeed modified for 5 weeks before the signs of autism reappeared. Researchers believe that drugs from the suramin family may allow autistic patients to respond better to behavioral therapy. A clinical trial should thus be launched on children with autism during the year.