On Wed 25 Sep, [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Brian Collins:
> Dear Brian,
> Many of us are taking Selegiline, along with Sinemet,
> as our primary or only medications for PD. I have been
> following the literature since Eldepryl was permitted in USA by FDA
> after the DATATOP study. (ca:1989} and am keenly interested
> in all aspects of the mechanism of action.
>
> Do you perchance have a reference for "selegiline had the power
> to break down the MTPT before it got to the brain." ?
> Thank you, Mary Manfredi
> [log in to unmask]
>
To: Mary Manfredi
Hello Mary.
A lot of what I wrote in my previous posting was gleaned from a
couple of BBC TV programs. However, this is not the only source of
information.
I have appended an extract from a pamphlet which I found while browsing about
3 months ago. I have not been able to find a reference which supports my use of
the phrase 'before it got to the brain' however the important point is that
Selegeline does protect the dopamine-producing neurons from the effects of MPTP.
I am an ex-user of Selegeline myself. My experience was that having been
prescribed two tablets a day, I immediately started having the most vivid
nightmares. I cut down to one tablet per day, which stopped the nightmares,
and continued at that level (Without ever really believing in it) for about
2 years. When the scare-story came up recently about increased mortality
rates in people taking Sinemet and Selegeline (which I don't really believe
either) Iwas quite happy to drop the tablet altogether, which I did with no
side effects at all.
--
Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]
=================================================================
EXTRACT FROM
___________________________________________
Parkinson's Disease: Hope Through Research
This pamphlet was written and published by the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the United States' leading
supporter of research on disorders of the brain and nervous system,
including Parkinson's disease. NINDS, one of the U.S. Government's 17
National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, is part of the Public
Health Service within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
---------------------------------------------------------
* Selegiline. Also known as deprenyl, selegiline has become a commonly used
drug for Parkinson's disease. Recent studies supported by the NINDS have
shown that the drug delays the need for levodopa therapy by up to a year or
more. When selegiline is given with levodopa, it appears to enhance and
prolong the response to levodopa and thus may reduce wearing-off
fluctuations. In studies with animals, selegiline has been shown to protect
the dopamine-producing neurons from the toxic effects of MPTP. Selegiline
inhibits the activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), the enzyme
that metabolizes dopamine in the brain, delaying the breakdown of naturally
occurring dopamine and of dopamine formed from levodopa. Dopamine then
accumulates in the surviving nerve cells. Some physicians, but not all,
favor starting all parkinsonian patients on selegiline because of its
possible protective effect. Selegiline is an easy drug to take, although
side-effects may include nausea, orthostatic hypotension, or insomnia
(when taken late in the day). Also, toxic reactions have occurred in some
patients who took selegiline with fluoxetine (an antidepressant) and
meperidine (used as a sedative and an analgesic).
Research scientists are still trying to answer questions about selegiline
use: How long does the drug remain effective? Does long-term use have any
adverse effects? Evaluation of the long-term effects will help determine
its value for all stages of the disease.
