What is it?

Esperanza Homeopathic NeuroPeptide is a product, the active ingredient of which is extracted from cobra venom. The supplier is suggesting that the product may soon be available in the UK. 

What does it do?

The treatment does not claim to be a cure for MS, but the manufacturer’s say that it can help symptoms relating to MS. They claim the product allows messages to be conducted along nerves, despite the loss of protective myelin, which is a feature of MS. There is no evidence to show that this is the case. 

Does it work?

A small trial of Esperanza was carried out in people with a different type of demyelinating condition, called adrenomyeloneuropathy, for which there were anecdotal claims that it was a beneficial treatment. However, this trial showed that although the treatment was well tolerated, no significant improvements were observed.

There is currently no peer reviewed, published evidence of effectiveness or safety of this treatment for people with MS. The Esperanza Research Foundation has stated that they plan to initiate clinical trials of Esperanza for the treatment of MS.
 

Should I take it?

Esperanza is not licensed for use in the UK and is not available on the NHS. As with any therapy or potential therapy, the MS Society recommends people with MS should consult their neurologist before embarking on treatment. Neurologists can be expected to be cautious about prescribing the drug until peer-reviewed evidence from clinical trials of the drug's effectiveness and safety is published.