Title : An integrative approach to uncovering therapeutic strategies in Parkinson's disease
Abstract:
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration and the appearance of Lewy bodies in the substantia nigra (SN) presented with classical motor and non-motor symptoms. Currently, PD is the second most common neurological disorder according to the emerging evidence, and the incidence of PD increases with age. Moreover, the prevalence and incidence of PD are expected to increase exponentially by at least 30% by 2030, affecting the social and personal life of an individual. Current pharmacological treatment primarily relies on the optimum restoration of dopamine (DA) and its related signalling pathways by administering Levodopa or L-DOPA, a precursor of DA. L-DOPA slows down the disease progression nevertheless, long-term benefits are unlikely. It is administered in combination with carbidopa, a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor that assists in relieving the side effects, and gastrointestinal and cardiovascular effects of L-DOPA. Another pharmacological treatment approach for PD is the use of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor drugs. The increased MAO-B enzyme activity promotes DA metabolism and subsequently elevates oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunctions. Recently, the use of complementary and alternative medicine has been on the rise worldwide, as has the number of people who favor integrative approaches in PD. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are considered to be possible mechanisms in neuronal cell death. As a result, approaches that ameliorate mitochondrial function and optimize reactive oxygen species (ROS) production are considered effective treatment approaches in the current scenario against PD as both are required for neuronal functioning. Therefore, the presentation aims to discuss the important integrative approaches in the context of neuroprotective potential and in the development of novel therapeutic strategies against PD.
Audience Take Away Notes:
- The presentation will help the audience to know and uncover the integrative treatment approaches for Parkinson's disease. The presentation will identify neuroprotective compounds in herbs and their therapeutic benefits in disease treatment.
- The presentation will provide knowledge and effective use of herbs for neuroprotection to the audience in their role as complementary medicine clinicians, teachers and researchers. Molecular mechanisms behind the neuroprotection for the compounds will be discussed to expand on this research.
