Novel targets in multiple sclerosis: to oxidative stress and beyond

Despite multiple sclerosis (MS) represents one of the most fascinating mystery of modern medicine due to its unknown etiology and the incomplete knowledge of a clear mechanism of pathogenesis, progress against this disease has made giant leaps. Current management of MS takes advantage of many disease- modifying therapeutics of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory nature, whose primary aims are halting immune responses during attacks, preventing new attacks and avoiding disability. In this review, a synopsis on effective therapies targeting both immune-mediated responses and neurodegenerative processes is appointed. Oxidative stress has been also implicated in both the inflammatory and neurodegenerative pathological mechanisms underlying MS. The role of redox metabolism in MS is thus also reported, with particular focus on the latest improvements in the identification of oxidative stress as a potential new therapeutic target.