An antifungal and a steroid drug that are already on the market could be used to treat multiple sclerosis.

Researchers discovered these drugs can activate stem cells in the brain to stimulate myelin-producing cells that repair white matter that is damaged by MS, the National Institutes of Health reported. Cells, called oligodendrocytes, lay down myelin around brain-connecting axons, acting as an insulator to ensure fast communication. In cases of MS there is a breakdown of myelin, which leads to symptoms such as weakness, coordination and vision problems, and numbness.

"To replace damaged cells, the scientific field has focused on direct transplantation of stem cell-derived tissues for regenerative medicine, and that approach is likely to provide enormous benefit down the road. We asked if we could find a faster and less invasive approach by using drugs to activate native nervous system stem cells and direct them to form new myelin. Our ultimate goal was to enhance the body's ability to repair itself," said Paul J. Tesar, associate professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland and senior author of the study.

In the past, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) have been difficult to study, but researchers created a new way to look at them in a petri dish that allowed them to see how they responded to different drugs. They found that miconazole (an antifungal) and clobetasol (a steroid), stimulated mouse and human OPCs into generating myelin-producing cells. Both drugs also proved to enhance myelination and reverse paralysis when injected into mice. All of the animals treated in the study regained the use of their back legs. 

"The ability to activate white matter cells in the brain, as shown in this study, opens up an exciting new avenue of therapy development for myelin disorders such as multiple sclerosis," said Ursula Utz, program director at the NINDS.

The researchers noted further research is necessary before these drugs are tested in human trials, especially since these drugs are only approved for topical use. 

The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal Nature.