how can i get these lovely mucan beans i am growing, to be of benefit  
if they won't cross the brain blood barrier?

On Jun 13, 2009, at 8:10 AM, Kathleen Cochran wrote:

> Thanks, Jim!
>
> Kathleen
>
> 2009/6/11 Jim Slattery <[log in to unmask]>
>
>> (Levodopa is only one of the PD medications used to treat PD, but  
>> if I
>> include data on all of them, we will be here all week!)
>>
>> Levodopa (L-dopa for short) has been used successfully in the  
>> treatment for
>> Parkinson's Disease for over 30 years. It remains the most effective
>> treatment for Parkinson's Disease. L-dopa is a natural chemical  
>> found in
>> animals and plants. When L-dopa is formulated for drug use, the  
>> generic name
>> levodopa is used.
>>
>> In patients with Parkinson's Disease the cells in the brain that  
>> produce
>> dopamine die. Levodopa works by being taken up by the surviving
>> dopamine-producing cells in the brain, and is converted by these  
>> cells into
>> dopamine.
>>
>> People with Parkinson's Disease can't simply take dopamine tablets or
>> vegetable products containing dopamine (e.g.fava beans) to replace  
>> the
>> missing dopamine, because dopamine taken by mouth cannot get across  
>> the
>> blood/brain barrier, and is used by parts of the body other than  
>> the brain,
>> and can be "pirated". Levodopa on the other hand does get into the  
>> brain
>> and, once there, it converts to dopamine. Levodopa combined with  
>> carbidopa
>> (Sinemet CR, Sinemet) or benserazide (Madopar) is the main  
>> treatment for
>> Parkinson's Disease.
>>
>> Combining carbidopa or benserazide with levodopa has several  
>> benefits:
>> *Carbidopa or benzerazide prevent levodopa from being converted to  
>> dopamine
>> outside the brain.
>> *They allow more levodopa to enter the brain where it is needed.
>> *They help to reduce or prevent the side effects of dizziness and  
>> nausea.
>>
>> Nausea and vomiting can be a problem, as they may result in the  
>> dose being
>> ejected. Any bodily process that delays the passage of the  
>> medication to the
>> small intestine may result in a reduced dose, or even a missed dose.
>> Constipation is another bodily process that can affect passage of the
>> medication, and prevent absorption within the "half-life" (approx.  
>> 30mins)
>> of the drug. In PWP, constipation can have several causes, such as  
>> taking
>> opiate-containing medication (eg Codein).
>>
>> "Wearing Off" - This happens when Parkinson's symptoms begin to recur
>> before the next scheduled dose of the drug, due to progression of the
>> disease. When this happens, it is easy to think that the drug is  
>> making your
>> symptoms worse - for a while after you take the next dose, your  
>> symptoms can
>> continue to worsen until the next dose "kicks in". This happens  
>> because the
>> drug takes a while to be absorbed and reach your brain.
>>
>> "On-Off" - These are unpredictable fluctuations in response to drug  
>> therapy
>> that may last up to several hours. They are thought to be due to a
>> combination of levodopa dosage and progression of symptoms. The  
>> dopamine
>> storage cells may lose their capacity to retain the dopamine  
>> delivered by
>> the medication.
>>
>> Dopamine is one of the catecholamine group of neurotransmitters,  
>> which
>> includes adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline  
>> (norepinephrine), the
>> so-called "fight or flight" hormones. In times of stress, the brain  
>> can turn
>> dopamine into these other hormones, thus depleting the store of  
>> dopamine.
>>
>> Sorry for the long-winded explanation, but it is as short as I can  
>> get it,
>> and still make sense.
>> Jim
>> (Dr. James F Slattery, PhD Soc Sc)
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