Treatment of myasthenia gravis and oral medication therefor

摘要

A human being having the medical condition known as myasthenia gravis is treated by administering at least an effective amount of strychnine to ameliorate the symptoms of the condition but less than an amount which causes persistent fasciculation of the facial muscles of the human being. The amount of medication given is balanced against the body condition safely and easily by the skilled physician. Daily dosage rates, typically, range from about 1/6000 grain of strychnine, usually as the sulfate, per kilogram of body weight to as high as about 1/300 grain or more for the more severely afflicted, i.e., into the normally fatally toxic range, usually in the form of a 1/60 grain tablet administered at the rate of 1 to 3 tablets every 2 to about 16 waking hours as needed according to the severity of the condition. Mild cases are treated intermittently while severe cases require substantially daily treatment. Vitamin B complex co- administration maximizes the effectiveness of the strychnine and tends to diminish strychnine requirements, although no side reactions of strychnine have been observed. Strychnine requirements may also be reduced by co-administering deanol or neostigmine bromide or the dimethylcarbamate of 3-hydroxy-1-methylpyridinium.