Executive Summary

• Inflammatory cytokines are a significant factor in overall inflammation.
• Ivermectin modulates inflammatory cytokines.

Introduction

Ivermectin is an anti-inflammatory. One mechanism that Ivermectin works as an anti-inflammatory is its effect on inflammatory cytokines.

How Ivermectin Works Against Rosacea

Although the following quote from the article Novel Rosacea Compound-Ivermectin Cream Offers Unique Mechanism Of Action, begins by explaining how it works against the skin condition called rosacea but then addresses the issue of the effect on inflammatory cytokines.

The exact role of Demodex in causing rosacea is not well understood, but it is believed that the mites—or the Bacillus oleronius bacteria that they harbor—trigger inflammatory or immune reactions that result in the symptoms of rosacea.

Ivermectin 1% cream has a unique mechanism of action among current treatments for rosacea; unlike available treatments, this unique mechanism addresses the inflammatory process involved in rosacea and the key organism, Demodex.

However, the great thing about Ivermectin is that it works against all three and is an anti-inflammatory.

Inhibition of Inflammatory Cytokines

Ivermectin is not an antibiotic. It is a member of the avermectin class of compounds. These drugs, which have been used in agriculture and in veterinary medicine for years, exert anti-inflammatory effects in several ways: they inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin (IL)-1b, and they upregulate the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.10,11

This is a crucial quote — because it brings up the inhibition of inflammatory cytokines. Blocking inflammatory cytokines is one of the treatments that make up immunotherapy for cancer. However, the techniques used by immunotherapy causes typically more harm than good for the patient (this is covered in the article How Effective is Immunotherapy for Cancer).

his danger from immunotherapy drugs is at least partly because they manipulate the immune system far more interventionist than simply taking Ivermectin, with autoimmune disorders being a primary risk. How these works are covered in the following article Here’s a Playbook for Stopping Deadly Cytokine Storm Syndrome.

Recently, cytokine storms also have been noted in patients treated with the new chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) as immunotherapy for cancer. “They see that in about 20% to 30% of cases,” Cron said. “CAR-T saves the patient’s life, but it also triggers this.”

Of course, oncologists do not tell patients who use immunotherapy that they are likely to trigger an auto-immune cytokine storm. CAR-T can cost anywhere from $300,000 to $1 million per patient annually. And even with all this expense, it is a poorly performing drug with major side effects.