PRE - CLINICAL STUDY OF MORINGACEAE IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Background and objectives: Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the substantia nigra, a nucleus of basal ganglia. The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the pars compacta region of the substantia nigra is the cause for the progressive movement disorder. Parkinson's disease has unknown etiology, with uncertainty about the role of environmental toxins, genetic factors and medications. The treatment for Parkinsonism requires a continuing regimen on replacing dopamine with levodopa or the drugs like pramipexole which mimics the action of dopamine in central nervous system. The commonly prescribed drugs in drug induced Parkinsonism, are centrally acting anticholinergics like benzhexol to counter the excessive over activity of acetylcholine in substantia nigra pars compacta. Though the treatments now available for Parkinsonism subsides the symptoms, it will not give complete cure for the disease and is often associated with frequent side effects. In this context the usefulness of many indigenous medicinal plants and their phytoconstituents in the treatment of Parkinsonism with minimal side effect profile arises. Hence I have selected two herbal plants Moringa oleifera and Moringa concanensis for screening their neuroprotective action on drug induced Parkinsonism.