Supplementary Vitamin C in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease.

Al-Himyari, Fizel

	Supplementary Vitamin C in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease.
journal of kerbala university
Article 1, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2009, Pages 186-188 PDF (0 K)
Author
Fizel Al-Himyari
Abstract
Background: Parkinson's Disease(PD) is a slowly progressive, age related neurodegenerative disease characterized clinically by bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, postural instability and gait dysfunction. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy, of Vitamin C as an adjunctive therapy to Levodopa in Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Patients and Methods: The study was conducted at Mirjan Teaching Hospital, Babylon, Iraq from 1-June-2006 to 1-Dec.-2007. Twenty patients (10 males and 10 females) with insufficient response to Levodopa (motor fluctuations and dyskinesia) and 20 control patients comprised the study groups. The Patients were given an oral vitamin C (200 mg), administered once daily for a period of six months. Vitamin C was taken with Sinmet (l-dopa: Carbidopa) tablet which is of 25/250 concentrations, associated with further followup for 12 months. The UPDRS (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) Part 11 and 111 were used for assessment. Results:There was a short term (one week) and long term (6 months) clinical benefit to the Vitamin C therapy, [ P-value<0.05]). . The dyskinesia was not increased in the PD patients. Gastric upset was seen in 25% of the PD patients and in 10% of the control group. Conclusion: Vitamin C in a dose of 200 mg once daily is effective as an adjunctive treatment in patients with PD. We recommend that Vitamin C is added to Levodopa in a dose of 100-200 daily. Further studies are needed to determine whether Vitamin C is effective and tolerated if administered for periods longer than 6 months. Key Words: Parkinson's disease, Vitamin C.

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