The Plethora of Pharmaceutical Possibilities for Treating Parkinson’s – Existing Drugs Being Reused

March 26th, 2010

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What Existing Drugs Are Being Used For Parkinson’s Treatment?

Researchers from numerous universities have found that several existing drugs show benefits in dramatically slowing the degradation caused by the disease. These particular drugs all seem to offer some form of protection against death of brain cells in different ways.

Using Nicotine For Parkinson’s Treatment

One extremely common drug that is not typically used for medicinal purposes, nicotine, the major active drug in cigarettes, was found in 2006 to protect the brain cells responsible for creating dopamine. The researchers from The Parkinson’s Institute in California found that regular nicotine treatments reduced the death of these specific cells by 25%. This finding is important because Parkinson’s symptoms occur only when 80 to 90% of these cells have been destroyed so a 25% reduction in death of cells can mean living without symptoms for much longer.

Treating Parkinson’s With Epilepsy Medications

Other drug reuse efforts, this time by researchers from Washington University, have found that common Epilepsy drugs both improve the function of existing neurons and protect the survival of these neurons both in the short and long term. Because neurons or nerve cells are fundamental to communications in the brain, protecting their survival is very important to maintaining healthy brains.

Using Cholesterol Drugs To Treat Parkinson’s

Another commonly used type of drug with promise for Parkinson’s patients are the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have found that one particular statin drug blocks the activity of specific proteins that are found to be at high levels in those with Parkinson’s Disease. Their research has also found that the drug limits the activity of other toxic materials in the brain as well as helping to even out the production of chemicals involved in brain productivity.

Heart Medications Reduce Parkinson’s Risk

One last form of drug reuse that has shown promise for Parkinson’s disease is the use of heart medications. Researchers from the University of California in Los Angeles found that some drugs commonly used to control heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure are able to provide protection to brain nerve cells. Their research specifically found that those taking these medications had a 30% lower risk of developing the disease. Because Parkinson’s is first observed with symptoms, however, further research will be required to determine if the medication slows damage in those with the disease.

Conclusions

Even without considering the new medications being developed specifically to combat the disease, when existing drugs for different purposes are applied to Parkinson’s patients, benefits are being experienced. This is very promising news for those at risk in our aging population.

In another article, other research into drugs and treatments being developed in the fight against Parkinson’s will be covered. If you have Parkinson’s or know someone with the condition, please share your experiences in the health forums.