Miscellaneous : Autoimmunity

Women's Health | Gastroenterology/Proctology | Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia | Autoimmunity | Diabetes | Otolaryngology

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) Therapy

Accumulating evidence suggests that Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN; 3.0-4.5 mg orally, taken once daily at bedtime) can promote health supporting immune-modu¬lation which may reduce various oncogenic and inflammatory autoimmune process¬es. Since LDN can upregulate endogenous opioid activity, LDN may also play a role in healing and repair of tissues, as well as promoting stress resilience, exercise, social bonding, and emotional well-being, and ameloriating psychiatric problems such as autism and depression.

After it was demonstrated that immune cell activation and proliferation were sensitive to the effects of naltrexone, Meng et al. hypothesized that LDN could exert modulating effects on bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) and studied influence of LDN on both phenotypic and functional maturation of BMDCs. They concluded that LDN can efficiently promote the maturation of BMDCs via precise modulation inside and outside BMDCs. This study provided a meaningful mode of action and role of LDN in immunoregulation, and rationale for future application of LDN for enhancing host immunity in cancer therapy.

Med Hypotheses. 2009 Mar;72(3):333-7.
Low dose naltrexone for disease prevention and quality of life.
Click here to access the PubMed abstract of this article.

Int Immunopharmacol. 2013 Dec;17(4):1084-9.
Low dose naltrexone (LDN) enhances maturation of bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs).
Click here to access the PubMed abstract of this article.