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Procaine HCI, Anticort, KH-3, GH-3

Note:  I'm not a doctor but the way I understand it, GH-3 (procaine HCl) reduces 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA) activity.  This is what statins do to lower cholesterol.  Cortisol is made from cholesterol therefore less cholesterol equals less cortisol.  The company making Anticort (procaine HCl), stopped after phase II studies.  See J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 Dec;307(3):1148-57. Epub 2003 Oct 14.  - Ben

Related Topics:

• Cortisol - This page is a must read for anyone concerned about anti-aging, depression, weight control or just about anything else.

Specific Recommendations:

• GH-3 at The Antiaging Store - Note:  The Life Extension Foundation lists procaine HCL as number six as most important anti-aging supplements.

News & Research:

• Banned Fountain of Youth Drug May Be Making a Comeback - Science Daily, 7/3/13
• Inhibition of adrenal cortical steroid formation by procaine is mediated by reduction of the cAMP-induced 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase messenger ribonucleic acid levels - J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 Dec;307(3):1148-57. Epub 2003 Oct 14
• Inhibition of adrenal cortical steroid formation by procaine is mediated by reduction of the cAMP-induced 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase messenger ribonucleic acid levels - J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 Dec;307(3):1148-57. Epub 2003 Oct 14
• Gerovital GH-3 information - International Antiaging Systems - "It is also known that Gerovital-H3 can help reduce cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for stress and a rare hormone in that it is one of the few that increases with age. It is believed that high-cortisol levels lead to accelerated aging because cortisol “attacks” the hypothalamus, the area of the brain that “controls” the endocrine system. Ironically cortisol may run out-of-control due to its ability to damage the hypothalamus that controls the adrenal glands that produce cortisol!"
• Procaine HCI - aidsmap.com, 6/28/01
• STGI Announces Anticort's FDA Phase I/II is Moving Forward - aegis.com, 7/28/99 - "Procaine (the active ingredient of Anticort(TM)) has been used clinically for more than 40 years, primarily as the local injectable anesthetic Novocaine. Despite the widespread use of procaine, reports of side effects have been rare, and are usually associated with excessive dosage, rapid absorption or inadvertent intravascular injection ... For the pharmacokinetics study, participants will receive Anticort(TM) at a single oral dose of 200 mg (cohort A), 400 mg (cohort B), 600 mg (cohort C) or 800 mg (cohort D). For the 8-week continuous dosing study, participants will receive 200 mg (1 pill per day; cohort A), 400 mg (1 pill twice daily; cohort B), 600 mg (1 pill three times daily; cohort C) or 800 mg (2 pills twice daily; cohort D). To ensure the safety of each dose level, these cohorts will be enrolled sequentially"
• Study Supports Role Of Anticort In Treating Alzheimer's, HIV - Doctor's Guide, 4/17/98 - "Cortisol's role as a cause of disease is most recently confirmed in a study to be published in the May issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience. Authored by Dr. Sonia Lupien of McGill University, the study reports that high levels of cortisol play a key role in Alzheimer's, memory loss, shrinkage of the brain and aging. Dr. Lupien also states that such illnesses might be prevented with medications to reduce elevated cortisol levels."
• Georgetown Researchers Report Development of New Way to Control Excess Cortisol Levels - Georgetown University Medical Center, 6/12/00 - "Although more work is needed to understand how Anticort works, these results clearly indicate that we now have a powerful tool to control the stress response and its detrimental effects on the body"
• Why Are So Many Women Depressed? - Scientific America Women's Health: A Life Long Guide, Summer 1998 (see the subtopic "Stress and Cortisol") - "It is unclear whether depression is a cause or a consequence of elevated cortisol levels, but the two are undoubtedly related."
• Gerovital-H3, its regenerative effects - IAS
• Top Ten Life Extension Drugs - Life Extension Magazine, 9/95 (see number six on GH-3/KH-3)
• Anti-Cortisols May Offer New Hope For Retinitis Pigmentosa - Doctor's Guide, 11/17/97 - "According to Sapse, RP can be treated initially with a cocktail of anti-cortisol nutritional compounds including vitamin A, zinc, ginkgo biloba and acetyl-L-carnitine . . ."
• Anticort Aids Treatment - Doctor's Guide, 2/11/97 - "ANTICORT (procaine HCI)"
• Findings Show Cortisol's Major Role in AIDS and Other Diseases - Doctor's Guide, 6/21/96 - "Anticort, (to lower cortisol) a high dose form of stabilized procaine HCL, is being successfully tested in pilot clinical studies in Brazil and the U.S., in HIV+ and AIDS populations ... Researchers have already started to explore the therapeutic benefits of such an approach through the use of anti-cortisol drugs, such as RU-486, DHEA, Ketaconazole, Anticort and Tianeptine"  - Note that procaine HCL is the active ingredient in GH-3 and KH-3.
• Findings Show Cortisol's Major Role in AIDS and Other Diseases - Doctor's Guide, 6/21/96 - "Anticort, a high dose form of stabilized procaine HCL, is being successfully tested in pilot clinical studies in Brazil and the U.S., in HIV+ and AIDS populations."

Abstracts:

• Effects of G.H.3. On mental symptoms and health-related quality of life among older adults: results of a three-month follow-Up study in Shanghai, China - Nutr J. 2016 Jan 26;15(1):9 - "After the 12-week intervention, the scores of role-physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), mental health (MH) and health transition (HT), mental composite score (MCS) of the G.H.3. group were higher than the placebo group ... the prevalence rate of clinical anxiety concerns in the G.H.3. group was 2.1 %, which was significantly lower than the placebo group, 22.0 % ... Preliminarily use of G.H.3. shows positive effects in supporting mental health and improving general health and well-being while promoting the recovery of cognitive function among older adults. Most of SF-36 domains including PF, RP, BP, GH, VT, RE, MH, and HT, as well as the overall quality of life in MCS might benefit from taking G.H.3. tablets. Average levels of low moods and anxiety concerns were both reduced and the prevalence rate of clinical anxiety concerns were reduced" - See GH3 at International Anti-aging Systems.
• Inhibition of adrenal cortical steroid formation by procaine is mediated by reduction of the cAMP-induced 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase messenger ribonucleic acid levels - J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 Dec; 307(3): 1148-57 - "these results suggest that procaine may provide a pharmacological means for the control of hormone-induced HMG-CoA reductase mRNA expression and hypercortisolemia"