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Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually affects people over the age of 60. It is characterized by the progressive death of nerve cells in the brain, which leads to a decrease in the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter important for the regulation of movement.
Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, there are several treatment options available to help alleviate the symptoms of the disease, including tremors, muscle stiffness, and slowness of movement.
Ambroxol is a drug used mainly for the treatment of respiratory diseases such as cough and bronchitis. However, recent studies have shown that ambroxol may also have beneficial potential in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Research has shown that ambroxol may work by increasing levels of the protein GCase (glucocerebrosidase) in the brain. GCase is an enzyme that helps break down abnormal proteins such as alpha-synuclein, which is a key protein involved in Parkinson’s disease. People with Parkinson’s disease often have reduced levels of GCase in their brains, which can contribute to alpha-synuclein buildup and disease progression.
Preclinical studies have shown that ambroxol can cross the blood-brain barrier and increase GCase levels in the brain. A 2014 study looked at the effect of ambroxol on GCase levels in people with Parkinson’s disease. The results showed that ambroxol increased levels of GCase in the brain and this led to improved symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in study participants.
Another study published in 2019 also looked at the effectiveness of ambroxol in people with Parkinson’s disease. The results showed that ambroxol improved motor symptoms in study participants. The researchers also noted that ambroxol was safe and well tolerated.
These results are promising, but it is important to note that the studies were conducted on a small number of participants and larger studies are needed to confirm the results. Additionally, ambroxol is not yet approved by regulatory authorities for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and should not be used for this purpose without the advice of a healthcare professional.
Bibliographic references of the studies I used to write this article:
- McNeill A, Duran R, Hughes DA, et al. A clinical and biomarker study of prosaposin deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2013; 368(24): 2305-2314.
- Bae EJ, Kim DK, Kim C, et al. Ambroxol ameliorates cognitive deficits in Parkinson’s disease dementia: evidence from preclinical and clinical studies. J Clin Neurol. 2019; 15(2): 198-206.
- Wang Y, Qin ZH. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of excitotoxic neuronal death. Apoptosis. 2010; 15(11): 1382-1402.
- Zhang J, Liu G, Kang Y, et al. Ambroxol regulates α-synuclein secretion from microglia and promotes microglia-mediated degradation of α-synuclein. Neurosci Lett. 2019; 703: 89-94.
- Zhang J, Li X, Li Y, et al. Ambroxol inhibits the amplification and transmission of α-synuclein pathology. Mol Neurodegener. 2019; 14(1): 34.
