Does anyone know what zandopa's "flavored base" is? It is sweet and makes up 1 g of a 7.5 g dose. And nowhere do they say what it is. Given that they are a division of one of India's biggest chemical companies and some effects I am experiencing, I begin to suspect something other than sugar. Aspartame?

What effects are you experiencing? Please elaborate so those of us trying this stuff can compare notes. I don't have PD but my husband does and he won't let me take Zandopa to see if that's what's in it. I'm grateful to not be the white rat on this, but I also want to know if aspartame is in Zandopa because I believe the stuff is a toxin, for everyone.

I am allergic to aspartame and some of my immediate reactions to it (as in less than 10 minutes) are: horrendous headache (lasts for hours, even consuming massive quantities of aspirin only takes the edge off), vomiting, and diarrhea (sorry, but true). I have read that some people also have vision problems, but I have not experienced that. I have also read that one of the by-products of the body's metabolizing asparatame is formaldahyde. I guess this stuff got approved because the amounts of bad by-products is small, but when you consider that aspartame is in practically EVERYTHING, depending on how much of those products you eat, it can really add up.

We read labels so carefully in my family because this stuff is in everything, even old classics like Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum. Maybe Zandopa doesn't have to disclose what's in that "flavored base" because it is not made in the US and therefore not subject to our FDA labeling laws? Anyone know anything about that?

Rick, users say to stick with it; your body will adjust to it.

" The flavored base they add in Zandopa is sugar. This makes it easier to tolorate.
The following is from the distributer of Zandopa. "One of the excipients in HP 200 is sugar and hence one may get sweet test. It helps to take the medicine orally."
Regards, V. B. Potdar Export Managernaresh.pandav@zandu.co.in"

From:

http://forum.parkinson.org/forum/vie...bb4d7d83f9ded1

dear rev,
call the company
- yet first call the pharmacist!
I did that for parcopa! and they still use aspartame -
I just wont!

found this in a medical book online only at google
http://tinyurl.com/4qnhz8

which led me to this page -
http://rialto.com/g6pd/clinical.htm

glucose 6 phosphate dehydrase defienciency?
which is here -
http://www.g6pd.org/favism/english/index.mv
do you have this rev?

I must say - I 've never heard of it?

I have a kinghell problem with glutamate (i.e. MSG, aspartame, etc). It literally shuts down my medications for four to eight hours. I can literally triple or quadruple my medication dose (requip or sinmet) and I might as well be eating candy. Nada!

The reaction comes on in ten to twenty minutes. Brainfog is a big part of it. Can't walk. Bladder switches into overdrive. Lovely combination.

Glutamate is the main stimulatory neurotransmitter. Dopamine is an inhibitory one. One of the ways that dextromethorphan works is to block glutamate. Another blocker is ibuprofen which prevents PD and leads some to suggest glutamate as one cause.

I ran across a forum post (NPF, I think) where a fellow had contacted Zandu with a similar concern over a corn allergy and was unable to get an answer from them.

Zandu is a division of one of India's biggest chemical companies and they are actively pushing "sugar-free" products without saying one way or the other.

I have been using Zandopa for about two weeks now with increasing unease. The last few nights I have awakened at 3:00 AM or so, unusual for me. And this morning my bladder let go upon standing up from the bed. Not the usual effect. Then I took the zandopa and was on in 30 min and back off at the 90 min mark with a couple more bladder surprises along the way. Took requip, sinemet, and another round of Zandopa about 5:00 AM - on at 6:00 and off at 8:00. Then I took 15 g of plain old mucuna at 2:00 and have been happy ever since.

Dear Rev,
sorry to hear yr horrible experience. I take zandopa too but not a regular basis - only when I need a quick kick in if the siminet does not work well.

Thanks for telling us your story.

LING

there is no telling what they put in there, yuck. i have procured about a half pound of what is supposed to be mucuna seeds and will soon plant them at my organic farm. ill keep you posted, hopefully there will be a supply of good clean fresh beans this fall.

Mucuna looks enough like kudzu that you miht have trouble

I've spent the day with just the mucuna and I still think there is more than meets the eye on zandopa.

Rick, I, too have 2nd thoughts about the Zandopa. I tried it a few times last month and found it to be rougher than the plain old mucuna I have used for the past 2+ years. I'm still curious as to what's REALLY in it but don't need to know in order to avoid it. My son thought it had a wicked effect on me, too. Ibby