Combination therapy with interferon beta-1a and sesame oil in multiple sclerosis

Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Several effector mechanisms are involved in the immunopathology of MS and a variety of medications such as beta interferons are applied to treat the disease. This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of sesame oil in combination with interferon beta-1a in MS treatment. Methods: Ninety-three MS patients were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (n = 39) received 30 mu g/week of interferon beta-la intra-muscularly. The sesame oil-treated group (n = 54) received interferon beta-la the same as the control group with the addition of 0.5 ml/kg/day of oral sesame oil for 6 months. Results: After the 6-month study period, the interleukin (IL)-10 concentration in the sesame oil-treated group was significantly greater than that of the control group (p = 0.04). The concentrations of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), nitric oxide (NO), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the sesame oil group after treatment were significantly less than those of the control group (p = 0.029, p = 0.0001, and p = 0.01, respectively). Lymphocyte proliferation in the sesame oil-treated group was significantly lower at the end of the study than at the beginning (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Sesame oil, through a decrease in IFN-gamma secretion and anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities, may have beneficial effects for MS patients.