Propolis Derivative May be Used to Treat Parkinson's Disease

Studies From France, Turkey and Germany Add New Findings to Neurology Body of Knowledge
Nursing Home & Elder Business Week, 6/4/2006

New findings from France, Turkey and Germany describe advances in neurology…

Study 3: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester blocks 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity.

According to a recently published study from Germany, "Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta…

"Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an antioxidant flavanoid, has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. Recent studies have shown that CAPE has also a neuroprotective effects in ischemia and low potassium-induced neuronal apoptotic models," the authors said…

The researchers concluded, "Since a mitochondrial insult is a major cause for the degeneration of nigral neurons in PD, we hypothesize that propolis derivatives, in particular CAPE, may have a neuroprotective effect on those cells and may be a promising drug candidate to be taken into in vivo models of PD."

Noelker and colleagues published their study in Neuroscience Letters (The flavanoide caffeic acid phenethyl ester blocks 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity. Neurosci Lett, 2005;383(1-2):39-43).

For more information, contact R. Dodel, University of Bonn, Dept. Neurology, Sigmund Freudstr 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany.