Conditions: Essential Tremor
Keywords: Ethanol Alcohol Responsive Movement Disorder Gas Chromatography Bioavailability Pharmacokinetics Essential Tremor
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 21
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
OVERVIEW

Essential tremor (ET) is a common movement disorder affecting 0.4% of the general population and up to 14% of people 65 years and older. Response to medications such as beta blockers and primidone may be of benefit, but are often accompanied by intolerable side effects. Response to ethanol, on the other hand, has a roughly 80% chance of significant tremor reduction, though daily use of this as a treatment has potentially serious medical, social, and legal consequences.

The leading hypothesis for ET pathophysiology is an unmasking of spontaneous oscillations originating in neurons of the inferior olive. Both ethanol and 1-octanol have been shown to reduce these spontaneous oscillations in an animal model of ET; however, 1-octanol does this at a dose much lower than that leading to intoxication, suggesting in may be useful in the treatment of essential tremor. Our initial studies with 1-octanol have shown it to be safe at dosages up to 64mg/kg without signs of intoxication, while at the same time showing benefit.

OBJECTIVE

We plan to evaluate the efficacy of different 1-octanol formulations in humans based on accelerometry and spirography. We will also evaluate drug and metabolite bioavailabilities using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) detection method from plasma and urine samples.

STUDY POPULATION

We will study adult subjects with ethanol-responsive Essential Tremor (ET).

DESIGN

This study is designed as a two-phase unblinded inpatient study of adults with ET receiving weight-adjusted oral dosages of 2 different formulations of 1-octanol in a crossover fashion. Phase I of the study is designed to develop an octanol detection assay using HPLC. Four subjects will receive daily escalating dosages (1-32 mg/kg) of a single 1-octanol formulation followed by a crossover trial of both formulations at a dosage of 64 mg/kg. Phase II will study 20 subjects receiving one of the two formulations at 64 mg/kg on inpatient day 1 followed by a 24 hour period of close monitoring. The second formulation will be given on day 3 and the patient will again undergo close monitoring for 24 hours.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measures for the study will be efficacy based on tremor ratings from accelerometry and spirography. Secondary outcome measures will be the determination of bioavailability, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles of octanol #61864 and octanol #68751 and their metabolites.

Detailed description:
OVERVIEW

Essential tremor (ET) is a common movement disorder affecting 0.4% of the general population and up to 14% of people 65 years and older. Response to medications such as beta blockers and primidone may be of benefit, but are often accompanied by intolerable side effects. Response to ethanol, on the other hand, has a roughly 80% chance of significant tremor reduction, though daily use of this as a treatment has potentially serious medical, social, and legal consequences.

The leading hypothesis for ET pathophysiology is an unmasking of spontaneous oscillations originating in neurons of the inferior olive. Both ethanol and 1-octanol have been shown to reduce these spontaneous oscillations in an animal model of ET; however, 1-octanol does this at a dose much lower than that leading to intoxication, suggesting it may be useful in the treatment of essential tremor. Our initial studies with 1-octanol have shown it to be safe at dosages up to 64mg/kg without signs of intoxication, while at the same time showing benefit.

OBJECTIVE

We plan to evaluate the efficacy of different 1-octanol formulations in humans based on accelerometry and spirography. We will also evaluate drug and metabolite bioavailabilities using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) detection method from plasma and urine samples.

STUDY POPULATION

We will study adult subjects with ethanol-responsive Essential Tremor (ET).

DESIGN

This study is designed as a two-phase unblinded inpatient study of adults with ET receiving weight-adjusted oral dosages of 2 different formulations of 1-octanol in a crossover fashion. Phase I of the study is designed to develop an octanol detection assay using HPLC. Four subjects will receive daily escalating dosages (1-32 mg/kg) of a single 1-octanol formulation followed by a crossover trial of both formulations at a dosage of 64 mg/kg. Phase II will study 20 subjects receiving one of the two formulations at 64 mg/kg on inpatient day 1 followed by a 24 hour period of close monitoring. The second formulation will be given on day 3 and the patient will again undergo close monitoring for 24 hours.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measures for the study will be efficacy based on tremor ratings from accelerometry and spirography. Secondary outcome measures will be the determination of bioavailability, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles of octanol #61864 and octanol #68751 and their metabolites.

Addendum: Based on the results of the assays for all subjects who participated in Part 1 and 2 of this protocol, we would like to conduct an exploratory study (Part 3) consisting of two subjects receiving a dose of 128mg/kg of 1-octanol. This is meant to primarily explore the plasma concentration of 1-octanol, while also providing valuable information regarding the safety and efficacy at this higher dose. The remainder of the experimental design will be maintained, with exception of additional safety precautions which will be discussed in the protocol and consent.

Arms:

Interventions: intervention 1: 1-Octanol
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 1-Octanol is an long-chain alcohol with potential therapeutic benefits in treating alcohol-responsive tremors based on unknown mechanisms. The intervention consisted of either 1) 1-octanol adsorbed to microcrystalline cellulose, NF (Avicel PH 102, FMC Corp., Philadelphia, PA), and fine particle silica (Sipernat 50S, Evonik Degussa Corp., Parsippany, NJ) and encapsulated in 50 mg and 250 mg dosages; or 2) a soft-gel capsule containing 1-octanol embedded in soybean oil at 50 mg and 800 mg dosages (Best Formulations Inc, City of Industry, CA).

Protocol document: