Parkinson’s Disease may be slowed down by prostate drug

An international team of scientists have discovered that a drug which is currently used to treat enlarged prostates may also prove to be an effective and powerful medicine against Parkinson’s disease.

The medicine, Terazosin, helps to relieve prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by relaxing the muscles of the prostate and bladder.

However, researchers at the University of Iowa and the Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, believe the drug also has another beneficial action on brain cells which have been damaged by Parkinson’s, adding that it may slow down the progression of the disease, something which is not currently possible.

Parkinson’s is a progressive disease which affects the brain and for which there is presently no cure. Current treatments can help with some symptoms, but are not able to slow down or reverse the loss of neurons that transpires with the disease.

When tested on rodents, the new drug appeared to either slow down or stop completely the loss of nerve cells. The researchers then went on to study 2,880 Parkinson’s who were taking terazosin or similar medication that targeted PGK1, together with a comparison group of 15,409 patients who were taking a different treatment for BPH that had no action on PGK1.

Patients taking the drugs which target PGK1 seemed to fare better in terms of Parkinson’s disease progression and symptoms, and clinical trials are planned to begin later this year.

Parkinson’s UK’s Professor David Dexter, said “These exciting results show that terazosin may have hidden potential for slowing the progression of Parkinson’s, something that it desperately needed to help people live well for longer.

“While it is early days, both animal models and studies looking at people who already take the drug show promising signs that need to be investigated further.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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