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ScienceDaily_2014 06179.txt

#Cinnamon may be used to halt progression of Parkinsons disease, study suggestsneurological scientists at Rush University Medical center have found that using cinnamon a common food spice and flavoring material can reverse the biomechanical cellular and anatomical changes that occur in the brains of mice with Parkinsonâ##s disease (PD). The results of the study were published recently in the June 20 issue of the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. â#oecinnamon has been used widely as a spice throughout the world for centuriesâ#said Kalipada Pahan Phd study lead researcher and the Floyd A. Davis professor of neurology at Rush. â#oethis could potentially be one of the safest approaches to halt disease progression in Parkinsonâ##s patients. â#â#oecinnamon is metabolized in the liver to sodium benzoate which is approved an FDA drug used in the treatment for hepatic metabolic defects associated with hyperammonemiaâ#said Pahan. It is used also widely as a food preservative due to its microbiocidal effect. Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamonum cassia) and original Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) are two major types of cinnamon that are available in the US. â#oealthough both types of cinnamon are metabolized into sodium benzoate by mass spectrometric analysis we have seen that Ceylon cinnamon is much more pure than Chinese cinnamon as the latter contains coumarin a hepatotoxic moleculeâ#said Pahan. â#oeunderstanding how the disease works is important to developing effective drugs that protect the brain and stop the progression of PDÂ#said Pahan. â#oeit is known that some important proteins like Parkin and DJ-1 decrease in the brain of PD patients. â#The study found that after oral feeding ground cinnamon is metabolized into sodium benzoate which then enters into the brain stops the loss of Parkin and DJ-1 protects neurons normalizes neurotransmitter levels and improves motor functions in mice with PD. This research was supported by grants from National institutes of health. â#oenow we need to translate this finding to the clinic and test ground cinnamon in patients with PD. If these results are replicated in PD patients it would be a remarkable advance in the treatment of this devastating neurodegenerative diseaseâ#said Dr. Pahan. Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive disease that affects a small area of cells within the midbrain known as the substantia nigra. Gradual degeneration of these cells causes a reduction in a vital chemical neurotransmitter dopamine. The decrease in dopamine results in one or more of the classic signs of Parkinson's disease that includes: resting tremor on one side of the body; generalized slowness of movement; stiffness of limbs; and gait or balance problems. The cause of the disease is unknown. Both environmental and genetic causes of the disease have been postulated. Parkinson's disease affects about 1. 2 million patients in the United states and Canada. Although 15 percent of patients are diagnosed before age 50 it is considered generally a disease that targets older adults affecting one of every 100 persons over the age of 60. This disease appears to be slightly more common in men than women. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Rush University Medical center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference e

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