Published Online: 11 Oct 2004

Phytotherapy Research

Volume 18, Issue 9 , Pages 706 - 712
Research Article
Neuroprotective effects of the antiparkinson drug Mucuna pruriens
Bala V. Manyam 1 *, Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran 1, Theodore A. Hare 2




Abstract
Mucuna pruriens possesses significantly higher antiparkinson activity compared with levodopa in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rat model of Parkinson's disease. The present study evaluated the neurorestorative effect of Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder on the nigrostriatal tract of 6-OHDA lesioned rats. Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder significantly increased the brain mitochondrial complex-I activity but did not affect the total monoamine oxidase activity (in vitro).

Unlike synthetic levodopa treatment, Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder treatment significantly restored the endogenous levodopa, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin content in the substantia nigra.

{previous article says:

HP-200 had a significant effect on dopamine content in the
cortex with no significant effect on levodopa, norepinephrine
or dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites- HVA, DOPAC
and 5-HIAA in the nigrostriatal tract. } ??? I thought the substantia nigra was part of the nigrostriatal tract. I'm so confused.

Nicotine adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and coenzyme Q-10, that are shown to have a therapeutic benefit in Parkinson's disease, were present in the Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder. Earlier studies showed that Mucuna pruriens treatment controls the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

This additional finding of a neurorestorative benefit by Mucuna pruriens cotyledon powder on the degenerating dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra may be due to increased complex-I activity and the presence of NADH and coenzyme Q-10.