NOVEMBER 17, 2011 HERBS FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE

"Choice, not circumstances, determines your success." - unknown

We all have a choice in life. Here is a fictional example: I have a choice to stay at a gathering where there are drugs, alcohol and marijuana. I have the choice to stay as long as I want. I am not obligated to stay. I am an adult. For me , it doesn't matter what the circumstance were to be invited to a gathering. I have a choice. This is my freedom and my right. Another fictional example would be attending a benefit concert for a cause. If I feel that some of the other guests have caused disharmony, deliberately hurt people and treat people poorly, why would I attend this benefit even if it is for a great cause. I can give my time, money and participation to this cause in another way. I have choices in life. I have a choice to be the man that I am or hide and secretly live a life that would be unfair to not only me but to others. As Jerry Herman wrote and Shirley Bassey sang, "I Am What I Am"

I love choices. I know that my choices in the last seventeen years have determined my success in life.

The very first botanical used for Parkinson's Disease (PD) symptoms were the anti cholinergics . These agents are effective for the muscle stiffness. A balance needs to happen between the dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons.

The herbs that exert these effects in a variety of ways are :

1. Atropina belladonna - Deadly Nightshade

2. Datura meteloides -Thorne apple or Jimsen weed

3. Mucuna pruriens - Velvet Bean

4. Bacopa monnieri -Water Hyssop

5. Fave fresche - Fava Beans

6. Vitex agnus castus -Chaste tree or Monk's Pepper

7. Cannabis indicus - Marjuana

Both Deadly Nightshade and Thorn apple have alkaloids. These alkaloids are competitive antagonists of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. By binding to the same receptor as acetylcholine they keep this neurotransmitter from doing its job. Both Deadly Nightshade (Atropine) and Thorn Aorn Apple fascinate me due to the fact that both are considered 'sacred'. Atropina was once considered the 'witches herb'

How many of us consider herbs for treatment of disease? Do you care that an herb can alleviate some of the symptoms? It is not a hot topic, but if you knew someone who had PD you would not want them to take all the toxic medications. Although there is a role for conventional medications I know that Mother Earth had plans for these plants-good plans with less side effects. I am even confident that some yet to be discovered plants can help a variety of diseases.

From my reading I know the herb Mucuna pruriens has the most promising possible benefit and exceeded the expectations because of its content of l-dopa (a conventional medicine already used for PD).

Both Bacopa and Fava beans have far less l-dopa than Mucuna. Here is the problem- we do not know enough about this whole plant The studies I have read state that 1/2 to 1 gram given four times a day can be effective in relieving symptoms with no known side effects. This plant is also used in India to remove parasites and to help emotional disorders. In review of the other herbs listed above, none of the others had similar effects.

Until tomorrow...