Ranitidine (Zantac) for its IL6 inhibitory properties

Just thought I'd share this.

My immunologist (who seems to really know his stuff) has just prescribed Zantac for me. I thought, "That's weird, isn't that for gastric problems?".

Well, apparently, only recently, Zantac was discovered to be an IL6 (interleukin 6) inhibitor.

IL6 is the cytokine most involved in raised CRP. Its one of the cytokines whose levels peak several hours after exertion (so it might be a player in postexertional malaise).

My CRP is elevated most of the time, so the drug seems a good fit for me. Not sure about others whose CRP isn't raised (many might not know if theirs is raised, especially if they're never been tested at their worst).

Here's a study showing Zantac's effects on IL6:

Ranitidine reduces postoperative interleukin-6 induced C-reactive protein synthesis.

I'll post back about whether it has any effect on my symptoms. Even if it does, I guess the question is, would it have any effect on those whose CRP isn't raised?

 

I was prescribed Zantac after using Tagamet (cimetidine) for years for stomach issues. Zantac didn't work at all for my stomach problems and I never noticed any other benefits with either.

Not meaning to be negative and your experience may be different.

 

Interesting. An Internist rx'd Zantac along with zinc for me 25 years ago. I never asked why back then or had the internet to look it up. I took it (don't remember for how long), and it was during that time I started improving. I didn't know what to make of it but now you have me thinking.

I don't know what my CRP was at that time but it was not raised 11 years later when I was tested.

I really hope it has a positive outcome for you.

 

I get pain and inflammation, for which I have no direct diagnosis or explanation.

Despite the problems I have, my CRP is always low, and I've never understood why. I'm on Naproxen for pain, and because it damages the gut I'm also taking ranitidine (which is the active ingredient that Zantac actually contains). Perhaps it is keeping my CRP low as well.

I've been taking ranitidine for several years now - 150mg twice a day. My PEM is still getting worse.

 

I take Ranitidine/Zantac as an H2 inhibitor as i have MCAS. Its the only drug that controls my reflux (PPI's didnt work) so presume my gastric issues are mainly mast cell based/ My CRP has never been high. My functioning is not improved on this drug, but the reflux is and it helps when having a reaction to take an extra one.

Good luck!

 

Hi folks, just updating on this.

I've experienced unprecedented good health over the past 9 days, which coincides with taking the Ranitidine. Perhaps - just perhaps - its helping?

Its always easy to misattribute, and there's one other thing that might have something to do with my improvement (I have experienced a bout of hay fever, which always seems to have a protective effect against the worst symptoms).

One thing that seemed very persuasive to me was that I attempted a walk yesterday. Normally, even on a good day, I have to stop walking after about 10 minutes, because I get this kind of flushed hot feeling. But this time, no flushed hot feeling! It felt great.

Will check in again in another week with news.

 

How many minutes can you walk now?

 

I'm late to the thread but really hope this improvement continues for you @Woolie !

As far as I know I don't have raised CRP and I was prescribed zantac for gastric problems. It didn't help the gastric problems and made no difference to my ME symptoms either.

 

A single dose of histamine-receptor antagonists before downhill running alters markers of muscle damage and delayed-onset muscle soreness.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27493198

 

I don't know really, I don't think I've pushed it to the limit. I couldn't have given you a number before either, my function has always been so variable - most days I'm limited to bed, but there are odd days when I can walk a bit. But even on a good day I'd commonly get this hot prickly feeling around 10 minutes in. It was fairly predictable.

Since the zantac, I've had two walks of around 20 minutes, with no apparent ill effects during or after. No hot feeling at all.

The hay fever could still be the major factor though. I've always experienced a lessening of symptoms during a bout of hay fever.

 

Thanks, @MErmaid! Interestingly, this article seems to be focusing on Zantac's histamine-blocking effect, not its IL6 blocking effect.

 

Correct. But the relationship between exercise and Histamine was interesting, since you may be gaining a benefit in that way too. Have you previously tried H2 blockers?

I understand it’s difficult to gain helpful info from studies that are done on healthy people. This topic has peaked my curiousity though (H2 and IL-6)

 

That is an impressive start to your (n=1) experience, we’ll done!

I may ask my MD for a Zantac Rx, especially if it takes care of both H2 and IL-6. I will let you know, if I start.

Edited: looks like it’s OTC. My CRP was once elevated, but no longer is. I think that was your curiosity.

 

That paper was published in 1995, so these effects have apparently been known for quite a while. There was also a similar paper describing these effects published in 1994.

It's actually more than n=1. Dr. Jay Goldstein discovered in the late 1970s and early 1980s that cimetidine (Tagamet) and ranitidine (Zantac) were effective at combating all herpes infections; he first observed this in treated mono infections (glandular fever) caused by EBV. (Cimetidine, ranitidine, and Epstein-Barr virus infection. Goldstein JA. Ann Intern Med. 1986 Jul;105(1):139. Also, Treatment of chronic Epstein-Barr virus disease with H2 blockers. Goldstein JA. J Clin Psychiatry. 1986 Nov;47(11):572) In the late 1980s, when it was believed by many people that EBV was the cause of ME/CFS, Dr. Goldstein found that these two drugs were able to help a minority of people with ME/CFS, sometimes in spectacular fashion, and he pioneered their use in treatment of ME/CFS. Here is a short excerpt from his 1996 book Betrayal by the Brain, which describes one such case:

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So @Woolie, there's some excellent precedent for ranitidine being being able to help some people with ME/CFS. I hope that you can share the same benefit!

 

Do you have access to the full text? I am curious if she was CRP positive.

 

My daughter felt better whilst on H Pylori protocol of drugs - perhaps similar effect. GP and paediatrician both at loss.

 

Hi @Woolie

Have you been tested for hemochromatosis (HFE)? Since this thread is public facing, feel free to PM me if this is private info.

 

No, not really. Just standard antihistamines for allergies, but I don't think that's the same thing, is it? Those have no effect on my symptoms.

My CRP is almost always quite raised (between 11 and 30), and there's a lot of accumulated evidence that IL6 plays a causal role in CRP production. So reckon there a very high chance my IL6 production is raised too.

If your CRP isn't on the high side, then it would seem unlikely IL6 is a big player for you, so you might not expect to get any benefit from any IL6 inhibition effects of Zantac.

But yes, could be worth seeing if the H2 blocking effect has some benefits for you.

 

Thanks @zzz, I knew none of this!

 

No, I didn't even know it existed. Looking at the symptom profile, it doesn't seem a good fit for me. Why do you think it might be relevant?