[imark3000]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2011-07/21/content_12947538.htm
A clinical study by Hong Kong Baptist University has discovered what may prove a breakthrough in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Researchers found that a traditional Chinese prescription medication, uncaria rhynchophylla, or gouteng, in use for more than three centuries, has proven effective in treating Parkinson's disease without the side effects prevalent in Western medication.

Li Min, an associate professor who led the research at the School of Chinese Medicine at the university, announced the results on Wednesday.

The study shows that the prescription can relieve non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as depression, sleeping disorder, constipation and loss of appetite.

[TrishaPDX]

My friend Jan has been using Chinese herbs for more than then years. Her doctor says the formula she needs is always micro-circulation, micro-circulation, micro-circulation. Think of these herbs as nourishment. You have to be careful of the source to be sure heavy metals and pesticides are not in the mix. I believe that there are some areas of China and Taiwan that are carefully monitored and produce safe products. Look for a venerable practitioner to help you, do not self-prescribe!

Trisha

[lindylanka]

Hi Imad,
Prior to diagnosis I had symptoms for a number of years, and tried a lot of different things with varying degrees of success. But nothing really did anything that lasted or reversed anything. So some of these things were western herbal medicine, massage, acupuncture, tibetan medicine, and supplements of various kinds. Western herbals included St Johns Wort, supposed to be good for depression among other things and Ginko Biloba, good for memory and circulation. Ginko was the only one that helped, but only with memory. Physical stuff was not helped. Massage, felt good and gave temporary relief as well as an opportunity to share how I was feeling. Acupuncture held back the symptoms for anything up to 4 days, when I ceased treatments after about 15 or 18 months there was absolutely no ongoing improvement at all. Tibetan medicine was different altogether, treatments are for the whole person, and shifted my perception of what was happening to me. It was expensive and difficult to take, and I confess to not being good at maintaining the treatments. Part of this treatment was pulse therapy which actually had better effects than acupuncture, which surprised me. Some of the difficulties with Tibetan medicine apply to TCM herbals. They are hard to take, but different, Tibetan medicine often comes as 'pills' larger than western medication, they are often a ball of herbal and minerals.

Chinese herbs are a different matter, usually a decoction of many herbs, sometimes very bitter tasting and needing perparation. I have taken these for PD, but have for other things, and know many who swear by them. They are very effective for things like asthma and auto-immune conditions, but you need to be very very careful to take them exactly the way the TCM doctor prescribes, and to observe dietary and chemical restrictions. I would say that to look at them from a western perspective may not be the best way to go. In the west the idea is to extract an active ingredient, refine, test and treat the patient. TCM is different, and balances many herbs to the individual requirements of the patient. The idea of these herbs being put through a western medical process of testing and verifying is antithetical to the means of treating, which is personal and individualized. I am not sure how the recommendation of a single herb in this way would be of benefit. What may be of benefit is a TCM doctor, who comes with a personal recommendation from someone you know who is visibly improved by their treatment, and who has a source of good herbal medicine. Not so easy to find. Agree with Trisha, do not self prescribe.

I am also wary of a single herb that will treat the non-motor symptoms of PD that you describe. Does it also treat these same symptoms in non-PD people? And how has this been ascertained, is it peer reviewed, and by whom? There are lots of claims at the moment of all sorts of treatments, it can be confusing, and this particular herb could be not helpful at all to a person for whom it would be, under a good TCM practitioner, contraindicated........

[TrishaPDX]

Lindylanka,

Excellent explanation and need clarification, thanks for your addition. I would like to toss in that since many with PD symptoms need liver and other internal organ support to detoxify, TCM herbs when prescribed for changing individual needs can be a truly viable route to enhancing your health.

The problem with western studies is that they want to isolate a single, controlled element. The body of traditional herbal knowledge was derived differently, with synergies the key strategy -- so it is rare for a single herb to be used. There are studies, deep observational ones but undertaken by a different methodology. There are thousands of years of study to refer to, if your practitioner is well-trained.

[imark3000]

and appreciate your comments. For practical reasons, trying an entirely different medical system is imposible for most of us.
Hoever, it is useful info still just for brain storming .
I practice tai chi and breathing exercise which I believe to be helpful.
cheers
Imad