Chinese herb helps Parkinson's
'Guoteng is effective in alleviating disease
symptoms':
Hong Kong: A Chinese herb is significantly effective in treating the
symptoms of Parkinson's disease and reducing the side effects caused by
the currently used medication, levodopa.Parkinson's disease is a
disorder of the central nervous system.
The condition results from the death of dopamine-containing cells in
the midbrain and leads to shaking (tremors) and difficulty with walking,
movement, and coordination.
A new study by Hong Kong Baptist University researchers showed that
Guoteng, a traditional Chinese medicine is effective in improving
communication in Parkinson patients and alleviating other symptoms
including depression, sleeping difficulties, constipation and loss of
appetite.The herb, also called uncaria rhynchophylla, lowers the number
of side effects including nausea, hallucination and delusion caused by
levodopa, the chemical medication which the brain converts into dopamine
to relieve Parkinson's symptoms.
"There is no cure for Parkinson's right now, but the study showed
Chinese medicine can help treat the disease," said researchers."They
provide not only pharmacological proof of the efficacy of Gouteng in
treating Parkinson's disease, but will also help promote the
effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicine to the international
medical arena," said lead author Li Min.
A major active component in Gouteng can induce autophagy in neuronal
cells, and thus promote the clearance of abnormal protein residing in
the neurons, Li added. Tuesday, Press TV
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