Niacin, an Old Drug, has New Effects on Central Nervous System Disease

摘要

Increased serum cholesterol and decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level in serum andcerebro-spinal fluid is a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer disease, and also a predictor of cardiovascularevents and stroke in epidemiologic studies. Niacin (vitamin B3or nicotinic acid) is the most effective medication incurrent clinical use for increasing HDL cholesterol and it substantially lowers triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. This review provides an update on the role of the increasing HDL cholesterol agent, niacin, as a neuroprotective and neurorestorative agent which promotes angiogenesis and arteriogenesis after stroke and improves neurobehavioral recovery following central nervous system diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The mechanisms underlying the niacin induced neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects after stroke are discussed. The primary focus of this review is on stroke, with shorter discussion on Alzheimer disease and multiple sclerosis.