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There is substantial evidence implicating both inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathogenesis. We investigated the therapeutic effects of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors both alone and in combination with creatine in the G93A transgenic mouse model of ALS. Oral administration of either celecoxib or rofecoxib significantly improved motor performance, attenuated weight loss and extended survival. The administration of COX-2 inhibitors significantly reduced prostaglandin E2 levels at 110 days of age. The combination of creatine with COX-2 inhibitors produced additive neuroprotective effects and extended survival by approximately 30%. The COX-2 inhibitors significantly protected against depletion of anterior horn motor neurons and creatine with COX-2 inhibitors showed greater protection than COX-2 inhibitors alone. These results suggest that combinations of therapies targeting different disease mechanisms may be a useful strategy in the treatment of ALS.

There is evidence that both inflammatory mechanisms and mitochondrial dysfunction contribute to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. We investigated whether the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitor rofecoxib either alone or in combination with creatine could exert neuroprotective effects in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3, 6-tetrahydropyridine model of PD in mice. Both rofecoxib and creatine administered alone protected against striatal dopamine depletions and loss of substantia nigra tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons. Administration of rofecoxib with creatine produced significant additive neuroprotective effects against dopamine depletions. These results suggest that a combination of a COX-2 inhibitor with creatine might be a useful neuroprotective strategy for PD.