Lorenzo's Oil
Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)
is a disease that affects young boys. It is passed from the mother
to the son. The disease causes brain damage and as a result the boys
develop behavioral problems, which eventually leads to the deterioration
into a bed ridden state .
ALD is the production of a long saturated fatty acid chain. As the
chain builds up it strips the nerves in the brain of myelin.
(Myelin is the insulating fatty tissue that protects the nerves.)
Lorenzo's oil is composed of two types of fats that is extracted from
olive oil and rapeseed oil.
The main component of Lorenzo's oil is oleic acid.
This oil does not stop myelin
being destroyed. But if it is given to boys who do not already display
symptoms it can prevent the onset of the disease.
Lorenzo's oil does this by stopping the production of the long chain
fatty acid molecules of chains containing 24 or 26 carbon atoms. The
oleic acid is then metabolised by the enzyme which is responsible
for the build up of the long chain fatty acid, preventing the destruction
of myelin.
A film of Lorenzo's oil has been made and tells the story of how Lorenzo's
oil was discovered and synthesised by Lorenzo's parents.