The researchers Manoj Kumar Mishra (left) and #38; Anirban Basu © NBRC 
Reseachers from the National Brain Research Centre have found that the common antibiotic minocycline may prevent children from death due to Japanese encephalitis (JE), commonly known as brain fever.
The team found that minocycline limits death by reducing the activation of microglia, cells that destroy damaged cells in the Central Nervous System (CNS). Minocycline also reduced neuronal death and viral replication.
Microglial cells release toxins that engulf the damaged cells and thus clean the CNS. But if they are activated in the CNS, the toxins kill healthy neurons too.
"Experiments in mice show that this antibiotic has merit for development into a therapeutic drug for JE patients", says lead researcher Anirban Basu. The team also found that treatment with minocycline improved the behavioral outcome following JE.
The group had earlier shown that JE increased production of cytokines, proteins that cause brain inflammation and neuron death2.
In India, JE is prevalent in rural and socially backward settings and has multiple epidemic pockets. Minocycline, an easily available and affordable tetracycline could go a long way as a mass treatment option.
