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Ibuprofen may reduce the risk of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's <<...>> Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen have been found to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the underlying mechanisms of action are unknown. However, Casper and colleagues have recently found that NSAIDs protect neurones from glutamate toxicity in vitro - glutamate toxicity has been implicated in AD, Parkinson's disease (PD), and other diseases. Aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen were all found to attenuate the reduction in dopamine uptake caused by glutamate on cultured primary rat embryonic neurones taken from the mesencephalon area of the brain, indicating preservation of neuronal integrity. Furthermore, ibuprofen 100µm protected both dopaminergic neurones and neurones generally, against glutamate toxicity. In addition, of the drugs tested, only ibuprofen increased the relative number of dopaminergic neurons - by 47%. The authors concluded that NSAIDs deserve further consideration as neuroprotective agents in PD. Source: Casper D et al. Neuroscience Letters 2000;289(3):201-204. Updated September 2000.