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Lorenzo's oil

Lorenzo'soil is a combination of eurucaic acid and oleic acid. Lorenzo's oil is used as a medicine. Lorenzo's oil is used to treat two related hereditary diseases that affect the nervous system. These very rare diseases are adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), which occurs in children, and adrenomyeloneuropathy, which occurs in adults. Lorenzo's oil is named after a child called Lorenzo Odone who had ALD. His parents discovered a mixture of fatty acids that appeared to slow the progression of the disease. This mixture became known as Lorenzo's Oil.

How does Lorenzo's oil work?

Adrenoleukodystrophy and adrenomyeloneuropathy are two rare genetic disorders that cause a large buildup of certain chemicals called very long-chain fatty acids. Lorenzo's oil may reduce these accumulations. It is believed that a build-up of these fatty acids could cause serious problems in the brain and body.

How effective is Lorenzo's oil?

Lorenzo 's oil may be effective for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). Lorenzo's oil may help prevent nervous system problems in children who have ALD but are not yet showing symptoms. Lorenzo's oil is unlikely to help children who have already developed symptoms of ALD.

Lorenzo 's oil may be ineffective in adrenomyeloneuropathy. Taking Lorenzo 's oil does not appear to improve symptoms or slow the progression of the disease in people suffering from adrenomyeloneuropathy.

Safety and side effects

Lorenzo's oil appears to be safe and harmless when used under medical supervision. Side effects of Lorenzo's oil may include bruising and bleeding.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Not enough is known about the use of Lorenzo's oil during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using Lorenzo's oil. Bleeding disorders that cause a reduction in platelets, which are needed for blood clotting, or a reduction in white blood cells, which are needed to fight infection: Lorenzo's oil could exacerbate these conditions.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of Lorenzo's oil with medications or supplements.

Dosage

The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:

Oral

For adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD): a dose of Lorenzo's oil equivalent to about 20% of the daily calorie intake was used. In another study, 300 mg of eurucaic acid per kilogram of body weight per day and 1.7 grams of oleic acid per kilogram of body weight per day (both contained in Lorenzo's oil) were used.

References

  1. Aubourg P, Adamsbaum C, Lavallard-Rousseau MC, et al. A two-year trial of oleic and erucic acids (Lorenzo's oil) as treatment for adrenomyeloneuropathy. N Engl J Med 1993;329:745-52.
  2. Chai BC, Etches WS, Stewart MW, Siminoski K. Bleeding in a patient taking Lorenzo's oil: evidence for a vascular defect. Postgrad Med J 1996;72:113-4.
  3. DiGregorio VY, Schroeder DJ. Lorenzo's oil therapy of adrenoleukodystrophy. Ann Pharmacother 1995;29:312-3.
  4. Duchesne N, Dufour M, Bouchard G, et al. Adrenoleukodystrophy: magnetic resonance follow-up after Lorenzo's oil therapy. Can Assoc Radiol J 1995;46:386-91.
  5. Kaplan PW, Tusa RJ, Shankroff J, et al. Visual evoked potentials in adrenoleukodystrophy: a trial with glycerol trioleate and Lorenzo's oil. Ann Neurol 1993;34:169-74.
  6. Kickler TS, Zinkham WH, Moser A, et al. Effect of erucic acid on platelets in patients with adrenoleukodystrophy. Biochem Mol Med 1996;57:125-33.
  7. Maeda K, Suzuki Y, Yajima S, et al. Improvement of clinical and MRI findings in a boy with adrenoleukodystrophy by dietary erucic acid therapy. Brain Dev 1992;14:409-12.
  8. Moser HW, Raymond GV, Lu SE, et al. Follow-up of 89 asymptomatic patients with adrenoleukodystrophy treated with Lorenzo's Oil. Arch Neurol 2005;62:1073-80.
  9. Moser HW. Clinical and therapeutic aspects of adrenoleukodystrophy and adrenomyeloneuropathy. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 1995;54:740-5.
  10. Poulos A, Gibson R, Sharp P, et al. Very long chain fatty acids in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy brain after treatment with Lorenzo's oil. Ann Neurol 1994;36:741-6.
  11. Rasmussen M, Moser AB, Borel J, et al. Brain, liver, and adipose tissue erucic and very long chain fatty acid levels in adrenoleukodystrophy patients treated with glyceryl trierucate and trioleate oils (Lorenzo's oil). Neurochem Res 1994;19:1073-82.
  12. Revell P, Green A, Green S. Platelets in treated adrenoleukodystrophy: a brief report. J Inherit Metab Dis 1995;18:635-7.
  13. Wong V. Adrenoleukodystrophy in a Chinese boy. Brain Dev 1992;14:276-7.