It has been awhile since we tried this. It does seen to do the trick and on several fronts-

Web address:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/
071107160159.htm
Cough Medicine Fights Dyskinesias In Parkinson's

Nov. 9, 2007 — A cough suppressant and a drug tested as a schizophrenia therapy curb the involuntary movements that are disabling side effects of taking the Parkinson's disease medication levodopa, Portland scientists have found.

Dextromethorphan, used in such cold and flu medications as Robitussin, Sucrets, Triaminic and Vicks, suppresses dyskinesias in rats, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center found. Dyskinesias are the spastic or repetitive motions that result from taking levodopa, or L-dopa, over long periods.

The researchers also found that BMY-14802, a drug previously tested in people with schizophrenia and found to be safe -- although not effective in treating schizophrenia symptoms -- suppressed dyskinesias in rats more effectively than dextromethorphan did, suggesting that BMY-14802 might work to block dyskinesias in people with Parkinson's.

"These results were unexpected, but very exciting," said the study's lead author, Melanie A. Paquette, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, OHSU School of Medicine, and the PVAMC. "We have filed a patent for the use of BMY-14802 for dyskinesias and we hope to get funding to begin human trials very soon."

The study, titled "Differential effects of NMDA antagonists and sigma ligands on L-dopa-induced behavior in the hemiparkinson rat," is being presented during a poster session today at Neuroscience 2007, the 37th annual Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego.

The results also affirm the value of the rat model for dyskinesias that Paquette's team used in the study. Previous studies by other researchers have shown the drug amantadine already is effective in treating dyskinesias in both humans and rats, and dextromethorphan's effectiveness against the condition in rats provides more data supporting the use of the model.

"Basically, these two drugs work to block dyskinesias in both humans and rats, and that means the rats are a good model to screen potential drug treatments for humans with dyskinesias," Paquette said.

But BMY-14802, which is an antagonist at sigma-1 receptor sites in the brain, "worked much better than dextromethorphan," an antagonist at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors.

"There's something special about BMY-14802," Paquette explained. "The
<my comment would be that the funny part is the emphasis on the one that can be patented >
effect on dyskinesias is really striking and I've repeated it several times, so it's a reliable finding. It's a very exciting result."

The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Rick

This is dated 2007 - a lot of water has gone under the bridge since 2007 (6 years ago). Can you give me a brand name for this cough suppresant that helps dyskinesia in "hemiparkinson rats." (just for the record, I'm not a rat . . . are you???)

lol
Peg

Here is a link http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...xtromethorphan

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They all offer a "basic" product. Often it is the pediatric version. Read the label looking for the ingredient "Dextromethorphan" and nothing else. If all else fails go to the pharmacy that gets your businessand should know you and tell him what you are looking for.

I restarted my experiments with it yesterday and it definitely still "has it". Two (count 'em) two tiny drops was all I took yesterday about noon and I was much improved the rest of the day. Today I learned that when you take it is important by trying it at 4:00 AM. I was soon back in bed and wasn't worth killing until about noon!

For those who don't know what we are talking about, dextromethorphan (Dex to his friends) is an anti-cough medication hat is also favored as a cheap high by the poor and the young at heart. Search this forum for details as it is one that we all need to be aware of since it is cheap, relatively safe, readily aailable, etc. It might be important to know how to use it in case of supply problems or financial misfortune.

It is an NMDA antagonist and our very own RLSmith has been conducting what is probably the longest running one-man trial with it at, what Robert, seven years?

It's worth a try!
Peg

one cannot take dextromethorphan if taking one of the MAO inhibitors, Azilect or Eldepryl--
Generic Name Brand Name
rasagiline Azilect
selegiline Eldepryl, Zelapar
potential for causing serotonin syndrome exists with DXM and MAO inhibitors.

Anyone following up on this or any similar existing thread MUST at a minimum read the prior dicussions which may be extensive.