Abstract

TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO THE TREATMENT OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

S. K. Syed Hussain*, Mubeen Unnisa Shamsia and Shaik Mohammed Aliuddin

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease is defined as a neurodegenerative disorder which is characterized by progressively occurring dopaminergic neuronal cell loss in the substantia nigra par compacta of the midbrain. The motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability apart from the non motor symptoms such as micrographia, depression, fatigue, anxiety and pain. The motor symptoms occur as a result of brain nigrostriatal system degeneration. As a consequence of side effects of the synthetic drugs, it has compelled researchers to obtain therapeutic methods to obtain them from nature so as to provide effective treatment with the principles of herbal therapy as an alternative management; as nature undeniably has been the most excellent remedy for all the illnesses to the mankind. In India, the practice of using plant materials as medicine had begun in Vedic times (1500 – 1000 B.C) and thus providing valuable information on the medicinal properties of the plants. Several studies have been conducted that had reported many plants possessing properties that may alleviate the parkinsonism condition and the symptoms related to it.

Keywords: Parkinson’s Disease, Traditional Approach, Levodopa, Herbal Plants, Mucuna Puriens.