Parkinson’s disease is a common brain disorder often seen in older people. People with Parkinson’s can have trouble moving, balancing, and even speaking.
This happens because their brain starts losing a kind of nerve cell that makes an important chemical called dopamine.
The Promise of Ambroxol
A group of scientists from UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology made an exciting discovery. They found that a drug called Ambroxol might slow down the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
This is big news because currently, we can only manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s but can’t stop the disease from getting worse.
Ambroxol isn’t a new drug. In fact, we’ve used it for years to treat breathing problems. It helps get rid of mucus, eases coughs, and calms inflammation.
How Ambroxol Could Help in Parkinson’s
The scientists ran tests on people who have Parkinson’s. They found that Ambroxol could get into the brain and raise the levels of a special protein.
This protein, called GCase, helps cells get rid of waste. One of these wastes is another protein called alpha-synuclein.
In Parkinson’s disease, this alpha-synuclein protein piles up inside the brain. We think this build-up plays a big part in causing the disease. So, if Ambroxol can help cells remove alpha-synuclein more efficiently, it might slow down the disease.
Testing Ambroxol’s Safety
Before we use a drug for a new purpose, we need to make sure it’s safe. The scientists found that people with Parkinson’s could take Ambroxol without serious side effects.
The Next Steps: A Big Clinical Trial
Now, the scientists want to test Ambroxol on more people to see if it really does slow down Parkinson’s. They’re planning a major trial involving 330 people with Parkinson’s across 10-12 clinics in the UK.
The people in the trial will take either Ambroxol or a placebo (a pill with no medicine in it) for two years.
The scientists will then compare the two groups. They’ll look at things like quality of life and how well people can move. If the Ambroxol group does better, it could mean the drug is effective against Parkinson’s.
This is the first time a drug targeting a genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease has reached this stage. It’s the result of ten years of hard work, both in the lab and in smaller trials.
The Importance of this Research
If the trial shows that Ambroxol can slow down Parkinson’s, it would be a big step forward. We’ve never had a drug that can do that before.
So, while we wait for the results, people with Parkinson’s can take comfort in knowing that scientists are making progress.
There are also other ways to support your brain health. For example, some studies suggest that vitamins E and D might help prevent Parkinson’s disease or benefit people who already have it.
Eating foods rich in flavonoids, like fruits and vegetables, might also help people with Parkinson’s live longer.
These findings, led by Professor Schapira, bring hope to people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones. They remind us that medical research can lead to real changes in how we treat diseases and improve people’s lives.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing Plant-based diets could protect cognitive health from air pollution.
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