Autistic Behavior Is Curbed in Animal Study of Older Drug
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A drug given to pregnant mice prevented autism-like behavior in their offspring, encouraging researchers they’re on the right track in testing the medicine in children with the disorder.
The study, published today in the journal Science, supports the rationale for using the medicine, called bumetanide, the lead researcher, Yehezkel Ben-Ari, said in a telephone interview. Bumetanide was marketed by Roche Holding AG under the brand name Bumex as a treatment for water retention in people with congestive heart failure and now is a generic drug.