Study Validates Benefits of 'Lorenzo's Oil'

Torvek writes "New Scientist has an article that discusses the medicinal oil from the Lorenzo movie. Apparently it's been proved to actually prevent the onset of symptoms when taken early enough."

Comments

That movie was excellent , Lorenzo's oil.

[Zeio]

Lorenzo's oil was about a father whose son contracts a debilitating degenerative disease. (Potential spoiler in this synopsis, if you trust this movie is good, do not read further, go rent it now.) The disease is one that degenerates the myelin sheathing on the nerves in the body. The father is deeply trouble by his son's increasing inability to function at the most basic levels and in a race against time he basically becomes a doctor. This, from what I can remember, is a true story. Anyways, after studying like crazy, and studying everything known about his son's diseases, he comes up with an idea that a long hydrocarbon [I believe the length was 26 e.g. CH3-(CH2)24-CH3), but with lots of other functional groups here and there.] oil is somehow going to protect the myelin from further denigration. He finds a natural substance that is similar to the protected oil he theorized about, and apparently it works and stops the never degenerations. Sadly, it is too late for his son, as it only stops the damage, but does not restore it. The movie ends kind of somberly, but inspiring, as the father helped many others with his incessant and furious research in a mad dash to save his son. Anyways, it was a moving movie, and quite well done and an inspiration to us all.