Various ways of therapeutic influence on multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune demyelinating disease. It hits young adults, but can also break out in middle age. MS causes the permanent physical disability. Among young adults MS occurs as a relaps-remiting form, which later changes into a secondary progressive form. Among older patients, MS occurs from beginning as primary progressive form. The progressive-relapsing is a rare form of MS. The development of the disease is individual and so is the reaction to the treatment. Nowadays, 5 drugs are approved for the treatment of the multiple sclerosis. Most of these drugs reduce the relapse rate, the risk of disability progression and the number and the activity of active lesions. Here we offer the description of currently accessible drugs. The mechanism of immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effect is accented. In the last two sections we offer a short overview of monoclonal antibodies and oral drugs which are under the clinical trials. Keywords: multiple sclerosis, interferon-β, glatiramer acetate, natalizumab, mitoxantrone, fingolimod, corticoid