A cough medicine that was used since the late 1970s is now being tested to see if it can combat Parkinson’s disease. A placebo-controlled Phase III trial in the UK will test if the drug, called ambroxol, can slow down the progression of the condition. Additionally, researchers will check if it can also improve the quality of life of those afflicted with the disease.
For reference, ambroxol can thin out mucus, which allows people with colds and coughs clear phlegm easily from their airways. It can also reduce inflammation, which can soothe those with sore throats. As a potential drug for Parkinson’s, experts looked at how ambroxol can raise the levels of glucocerebrosidase, or GCase.
This protein is responsible for helping the brain’s waste-clearance systems. Researchers also noticed that the levels of GCase seem to go down as levels of abnormal alpha-synuclein (a driving force in killing or impairing the neurons that provide the brain with dopamine) rise in those with Parkinson’s.
Scientists in the lab hope that ambroxol can indirectly lower levels of abnormal alpha-synuclein in people with Parkinson’s as it raises the levels of GCase. The trial for the drug will utilize 330 people with Parkinson’s, who will be randomized into either a placebo or treatment group.
Learn more about the trials and the drug here!
Image credit: cottonbro studio
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