Written by Rita Jenkins| 02 August, 2005 19:37 GMT
The amphetamine commonly known as Ecstasy may form the basis of new compounds for the treatment of late-stage Parkinson's Disease.
Drugs similar to the amphetamine methylenedioxymethamphetamine HCl, or MDMA -- popularly known as Ecstasy -- may be used to reverse the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD), suggests new research published in PloS Biology, the Public Library of Science journal. The debilitating effects of Parkinson's -- such as muscle rigidity, impaired
movement and uncontrollable shaking -- are caused by deterioration of the
brain's ability to produce dopamine.
Current Therapies Short-Lived
Current treatments for PD commonly involve methods of triggering the release
of dopamine in the brain, often by administration of the dopamine precursor
L-DOPA in a pill form.
Amphetamines also are known to cause sudden bursts of dopamine transmission,
resulting in increased alertness and muscle strength.
These treatments cause symptoms to subside initially, but they become
ineffective over time.
Ecstasy Opens New Door
MDMA does not trigger dopamine production; nevertheless, a new study at Duke
University led by Tatyana Sotnikova has shown that it is effective in reversing
Parkinson's symptoms in mice.
These results suggest that MDMA likely acts through a different pathway than
dopamine. This finding could lead to the development of new compounds that may
be more effective in the treatment of late-stage PD, possibly enabling patients
to once again perform the simple functions of everyday life.
However, the authors of the study do not advocate the use of MDMA by
Parkinson's patients.
Not a Green Light for Self-Medication
"We would like to emphasize that this study was conducted in mice, not in
humans, and much more investigation will be needed to develop safe and
effective treatments for PD based on these observations," said Marc G. Caron,
PhD., James B. Duke Professor in the Department of Cell Biology at Duke University Medical Center.
"Our hope is to find compounds closely related in structure to amphetamines
that could be effective in relieving symptoms of PD but would be devoid of any
potential harmful effects," Professor Caron explained.
"We would strongly caution anyone against interpreting our results as a green
light to use MDMA for self-medication," he warned. |
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