Rise and fall of minocycline in neuroprotection: need to promote publication of negative results

Initial studies conducted on the neuroprotective effects of minocycline, a second-generation tetracycline, in experimental models of neurodegeneration gave promising results. However, more recently, minocycline has clearly been shown to have variable and even contradictory (beneficial or detrimental) effects in different species and models of neurological disorders, and its "neuroprotective" mechanisms remain to be clarified. Although its anti-inflammatory properties are likely to contribute to its neuroprotective effects observed in several animal models, a body of recent evidence indicates that our community should proceed with caution in the clinical use of minocycline for central nervous system disorders. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.