200 years after it was discovered, Parkinson’s disease remains, in many ways, a mystery. However, medicinal plants such as Mucuna pruriens are offering significant hope. Discover how this plant may benefit those suffering from this disease.
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disease of the nervous system characterised by the slow, progressive death of neurons in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra.
Those affected normally suffer uncontrollable, jerky movements as the neurons concerned are located in an area of the brain that controls movement.
By the time the first symptoms occur (tremors, rigidity), 60%-80% of the neurons in the substantia nigra have already been destroyed.
As this is an area that produces dopamine, a chemical messenger essential for motor control, the death of these neurons leads to a general lack of dopamine, and an increase in two other messengers in the brain : acetylcholine and glutamate.
It is this growing imbalance which triggers symptoms which then worsen over time. The scientific community has unfortunately not yet identified precisely why these neurons die.
As yet, there are no drug or surgical treatments able to cure Parkinson’s disease.
We probably need to first understand what causes the disease before any miracle cure can be found.
Current treatments are thus aimed at alleviating the symptoms and at making some attempt to slow the progression of the disease.
Four main avenues are being explored:
It might seem somewhat paradoxical to refer to ‘therapeutic hope’ in relation to velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens), given its millennia-old history of use in Ayurvedic medicine for the relief of kampavata (ie, Parkinson’s disease).
But the fact is that science has not yet unravelled all the mysteries of this unusual plant, despite the numerous studies devoted to it. But one secret has been unlocked: its high content of natural levodopa.
Velvet bean is one of the few natural sources of this molecule, the synthetic form of which is the standard treatment for Parkinson’s. This unusual composition is obviously the n°1 reason why it is so highly-rated by those affected.
Having said that, taking velvet bean for Parkinson’s disease should always be medically-supervised.
In fact, several studies suggest that Mucuna pruriens is not simply a source of L-DOPA (1).
It is thought to contain other synergistic molecules able to optimise the effects of levodopa, such as DOPA decarboxylase inhibitors (which prevent L-DOPA from being broken down before it reaches the brain) and NADH (which may play a role in the production of chemical messengers essential for maintaining neuronal circuits).
As proof, some studies have highlighted neuronal effects from extracts of Mucuna pruriens that contain no L-DOPA (2). Recent research has identified ursolic acid (3), and chlorogenic acid (4), but much remains to be done to understand the role of each of velvet bean’s active molecules, their potential complementarity, and their actual effects on the disease.
Expectations are all the greater since treatments based on the use of isolated (synthetic) levodopa gradually lead to dyskinesia (abnormal involuntary movements), a long-term side-effect which might, however, be reduced by supplementation with Mucuna pruriens (5).
If a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease has been made, it’s advisable, as indicated above, to consult a health professional before considering any supplementation.
The potential effects of this Ayurvedic remedy on degenerative disease and its contraindications are still being studied and have yet to be confirmed.
On the other hand, in a non-disease context, Mucuna pruriens supplements have a role to play in maintaining the nervous system and supporting the immune system, especially if they are standardised in L-DOPA (such as the supplement Mucuna Pruriens). Their use must, however, be supervised by a health professional, especially in the case of polypharmacy.
Here are some tips for increasing its efficacy:
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