Parkinson's Disease Treatment & Cure: Liver Disease Drug May Help Patients

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A drug mainly used to treat liver disease has been found to decelerate the progression of Parkinson's disease, according to a new research.

The findings published in the journal Neurology found that the drug ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) used to lower acid in liver disease could be used to slow down the mutation of the LRRK2-gene responsible for Parkinson's disease.

For the research, researchers from Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) and University of York tested UDCA on fruit flies with LRRK2-gene cell mutations. The team found that the liver drug can help slow down the development of Parkinson's disease.

The flies that carried the mutated gene gradually lost visual function over time and the researchers measured the progression of the disease in the models.

Dr. Chris Elliot from the University of York and Rebecca Furmston, a PhD student, found that the tested fruit flies were able to keep their response to visual stimulus when administered with UDCA.

"The treatment of fruit flies carrying the faulty LRRK2 gene with UDCA showed a profound rescue of dopaminergic signaling. Feeding the flies with UDCA partway through their life slows the rate at which the fly brain then degenerates. Thus, mitochondrial rescue agents may be a promising novel strategy for disease-modifying therapy in LRRK2-related Parkinson's," said Dr. Elliot in a press release published in Science Daily.

Since UDCA has already been approved as a liver disease medication, the researchers are optimistic that if the clinical trials of the drug are found to be effective, it will be swiftly approved for Parkinson's patients.

 "UDCA has been in clinical use for decades and thus could be advanced to the clinic rapidly if it proves beneficial in clinical trials," said Oliver Bandmann, researcher and professor from England's University of Sheffield, via Pioneer News.

The promising results of already approved drugs like UCDA in the Parkinson's study could curtail time, effort and money for Parkinson's patients and researchers, said Dr. Arthur Roach of Parkinsons UK.

"This type of cutting-edge research is the best hope of finding better treatments for people with Parkinson's in years, not decades," Dr. Roach said.

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative nervous system disorder that affects the body's movement. According to Mayo Clinic, it is characterized by muscular rigidity, tremors, and slow movements. There is no known cure for the disease, but certain measures can be undertaken to help manage symptoms.

According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, there are approximately one million Americans that have the disease with 60,000 people diagnosed annually.

Famous celebrities who have Parkinson's disease include boxing champion Muhammad Ali and actor Michael J. Fox.