The molecule that can combat lupus

A natural molecule that’s also available as a supplement can reverse some of the worst symptoms of Lupus, the autoimmune disease.

The molecule, gluconolactone, rebalances the immune system and stops it attacking the body’s tissues and organs.  It helps promote regulatory T-cells, or Tregs, that control the immune system’s responses, researchers from the University of Zurich have found.

Up to now, people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were prescribed powerful immunosuppressant drugs that came with life-debilitating side effects.  But the research team have found that gluconolactone was just as effective when people suffering from cutaneous lupus, a skin condition, were treated with a cream for two weeks.  Rashes had ’visibly improved’, the researchers reported.

They think gluconolactone cream could also be used to treat other skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, and other systemic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis (MS).

The molecule, which helps exfoliate and hydrate the skin, is found in sugar beets, meat and cheese, and is available as a supplement and cream.

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks tissue and organs, causing inflammation and damaging organs.  It can affect the skin, joints, kidneys and nervous system, and symptoms include inflammation, skin rashes and joint pain.

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