GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Deprenyl is a drug that has been widely used
to treat Parkinson’s disease. In Parkinson’s disease, dopamine, a major nerve transmitter, decreases due to
the action of two enzymes, monoamine oxidases (MAOs). MAO
B occurs in the brain; MAO A occurs outside the brain and breaks up some amino acids present in
food, thus serving a necessary purpose. Deprenyl inhibits
only MAO B, and thus in combination with L-Dopa may be used
to treat Parkinson’s. Deprenyl may also act against several toxic chemicals produced when MAO B
destroys dopamine. It may also have an anti-depressant
effect.
ROLE FOR ANTI-AGING:
Deprenyl’s anti-aging benefits may include
improved memory, slowing of the loss of sexual capacity and increased lifespan. A 1989 study
conducted by Dr. J. Knoll showed that rats given Deprenyl
beginning in their 24th month lived 30% longer than
untreated rats. A 1990 study from the University of Toronto and McMaster University on a
different strain of rat showed that treated rats lived 16%
longer than controls. A 1991 study conducted by a group
from Israel and Italy (Brandeis, Sapir, Kapon, Borelli, Cadel and Valsecchi) tested Deprenyl’s
effect on memory in aging rats and found that it improved
the memories of both aging and young rats. Research carried
out in 2001 found that deprenyl protects the nigostrital area of the rat brain (the area of the
brain damaged in human Parkinson’s disease) from damage
induced by the pesticide paraquat, a chemical that has been
strongly associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, another study
carried out in 2000 found that deprenyl could be considered
as an alternative to levodopa for starting treatment in
Parkinson’s patients. Several studies have also found
evidence to suggest that deprenyl may be of some use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
SIDE EFFECTS/CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Side effects can include nausea, stomach ache, drowsiness and depression. High dosages can
result in sudden high blood pressure spikes and
agitation.
PHARMACOLOGY: Distribution:
for humans is 10mg/day Deprenyl is sold in the U.S. for the
treatment of Parkinson’s disease under the name Eldepryl.
