Rick, it's definitely NOT l-dopa alone. All of the articles state that. If given the same amount of L-dopa, people on Sinemet and HP200 don't have the same result. HP-200 works 2 to 3 times better. There are a few theories as to why: it may contain something like carbidopa.

The article above states mucuna contains NADH and COQ10 and it increased mitochondrial Complex 1 activity.

It seems to be neuroprotective, too. It's a wonder drug, really because it's great for other problems, too. Read that PDF
above. I think the NADH is very important.

Imark, I trust Zandopa over the supplements, too. I want to use the Zandopa because it was used in clinical trials. I don't recall it being expensive. I think I have the link to the company in India in a sticky on this site. It arrived in 9 days. I think I paid with PayPal.

Here's the link:

http://mall.coimbatore.com/bnh/zandu/zandopa.htm

Cost is $12.95 per 175 grams (at 5 g per day, Rick, that's 35 days). And buy four, get 100g free (I did that).
Price includes shipping worldwide. No, it doesn't. It's free over $100. But the shipping cost is low..only $2 no matter how many.

They suggest a 7.5 gram dose suspended in 100 ml water.

I let myself run out of capsules and didn't have time to make some more and so things kind of went on hold.

But today I started with just my "official" regimen of 1 sinemet CR and 1 requip at 7:00 AM. I skipped the ginseng for the sake of science and also because I was long past due a drying-out period for it. Slow start, came on about 9:00 AM. Had breakfast, then 2nd official meds of 1 requip at 10:00 AM. "Off" by 11:00!

Next meds at 1:00 were 1 requip and 1 sinemet CR but still off at 1:30! (I assume the absence of ginseng) So at 1:40 PM, in a pharmaceutical rage I downed one teaspoon of powder. Came on nicely 45 minutes later and remain so now after about 1 and 1/2 hours. Slight "lip pursing" but otherwise in good shape.

BTW, I checked the label and I am using a US grown organic from "Banyan Botanicals" of New Mexico.

Next meds should be 1 requip at 4:00 but I think that I will "stress test" this puppy and see when it starts to fade. Heck of a way to spend a Friday night...

Yesterday I stayed on with no further meds or mucuna until 7:30PM, which was pretty impressive. Then I went "off" relatively quckly (I know it is spelled incorrectly but it makes such a neat word! :-) ) over a ten mnute span. Took another teaspoon of mucuna mixed with apple sauce and waited....and waited....and etc. Nothing. Gave up and hobbled to bed about 10:00. Slept well and woke up at 7:30 in decent shape. Took 1 sinemet and 2 requip and 1 tsp mucuna. Came "on" in half an hour which is half my usual. It is now 10:30 and I am still in good shape.

About last night. (How's that for an intro? ) The dose in early afternoon was with water but the later one was apple sauce. While my first thought was that the earlier one benefitted from lingering carbidopa, it might be that the pectin in the apple sauce altered absorption.

Time will tell.

I was going to ask if you also drank water along with the applesauce. I think a suspension of mucuna is absorbed better than the powder mixed with apple sauce. I'm going to mix mine with water, with a small electric mixer and see if it's tolerable like that.

Your capsules plus water worked well, though, so maybe mucuna plus apple sauce plus water would work fine.

No I didn't drink water with it so that may make the difference. Today I took a second teaspoon at 1:00 PM and am still on at 7:00 PM. I think I will try a fourth requip now and see if I coast on in to bed.

Dear Reverett,

Thanks for your detailed and unreserved report on Mucuna. Usually, I will take HP200 in the morning if the stalevo is slow to kick in or if I want a quick start for work. On Dec, I took one teaspoon (7.5g) half an hour after stalevo and was "on" for 6 to 7 hours or even longer BUT with mild dyskinesia. Noticing that it may be too much for me, I reduced it to 1/3 teaspoon and the "on" time has substantially shortened yet it gave me a quick start.

LING

Ling, how to you take yours? Do you mix it with water and drink the suspension? And how long does it take to kick in? Thanks.

I dissolve the HP200 powder in water and it takes about 25 to 30 minutes to kick in.

LING

Hi. I am a new member. (Frankly, I'm not happy about being a member). I've been sitting here next to my husband, who is watching "The Bourne Ultimatum" for the 6th time while I have read every posting of this thread. My brother, who is not a doctor, (but plays one on television) has been trying to persuade me to begin using mucuna pruriens. I liked the concept but my problem has been that I am unclear about 1. where to get it; 2. what brand or formula to get, 3. how much to take with my regular medication, and 4. what are the negative side effects??

After reading all these comments, I now know even less. Maybe someone could give me a SIMPLE answer to the above questions. (You can bill in the morning.) My stats are that I started getting PD symptoms @ 45. I am now 52 (yikes!). I have been on sinemet 25/100 for 1.5 years and I am finding that it is not losing its potency, but rather its longevity. When I first started using it, I took 3 pills/day along with 3 pills /day of Mirapex. The longevity of the medication has decreased so quickly that in order to function "normally" I now have to take 5-6 doses per day and the longevity is still getting shorter.

I would love to take anything to improve my symptoms. As an aside, when I asked my doctor about mucuna, she feigned not knowing what I was talking about. Also that if there was stuff that worked that well, that the main medical community (not pharmaceutical) would jump on it. (She also warned me about getting info from the Internet.) BTW, my doctors are the big cheeses at Columbia Presbyterian NYC (allegedly some of the best around ).

So, any words of wisdom oh great ones? (The movie just ended, I'm off to bed.)

Mira

dear dear mira,
do you actually believe anyone of us are happy to be ill?
some members are here just to help others, and by doing so - they are helping themselves...
I am a PD patient/ advocate for cures...
if life throws you lemons - hey keep them because they are free, you can make many things from lemons, besides lemonade...
and to answer your question - the meds cause the body to lose essential minerals and vitamns - levadopa/carbidopa causes potassium deficiency -you may want to research B-12,
you do not get answers fron the neurotalk community - you get research ideas for yourself, ps - start with your attitude, you hate to be here, you know all the big cheeses, your brother is on tv -he's trying to give you ideas, to help you not harm you... do you dislike yourself and the world around you because you view illness as weakness?
you do the research we give the clues to what has helped us - I personally have had the scourge for 15 years and I am 45 years old ...
if you feel it unfair I tell you to research and try to see light instead of shear dread - do not worry - I wont bill you... lol
you can view in search of a champion -the documentary made by some of the finest PD patients I have ever met...
www.pwnkle.com/champion.htm
sincerely, aka a great one - if you want to meet great people - you wil find them here...
Albert Einstein quote - Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds
tena