Neurological scientists at Rush University Medical Center explained that adding cinnamon as a common food spice and flavoring material can reverse the biomechanical, cellular and anatomical changes that occur in the brain.
"Cinnamon has been used widely as a spice throughout the world for centuries," said Kalipada Pahan, PhD, study lead researcher and the Floyd A. Davis professor of neurology at Rush. "This could potentially be one of the safest approaches to halt disease progression in Parkinson's patient," Pahan said in a press release.
Pahan explained that cinnamon is metabolized in the liver to sodium benzoate - an FDA-approved drug used in the treatment for hepatic metabolic defects related to hyperammonemia. Moreover, the spice is also widely used as a food preservative due to its microbiocidal effect.
In the United States two major types of cinnamon are found, the Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamonum cassia) and original Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum).
"Although both types of cinnamon are metabolized into sodium benzoate, by mass spectrometric analysis, we have seen that Ceylon cinnamon is much more pure than Chinese cinnamon as the latter contains coumarin, a hepatotoxic molecule," said Pahan.
According to Pahan, better understanding of how the disease works is important to develop effective drugs that protect the brain and stop the progression of Parkinson's. Experts say that some important proteins like Parkin and DJ-1 decrease in the brains of patients with the condition.
The research analysis showed that after oral feeding, ground cinnamon is metabolized into sodium benzoate, which then enters into the brain, stops the loss of Parkin and DJ-1, protects neurons, normalizes neurotransmitter levels, and improves motor functions in mice with PD.
"Now we need to translate this finding to the clinic and test ground cinnamon in patients with PD. If these results are replicated in PD patients, it would be a remarkable advance in the treatment of this devastating neurodegenerative disease," said Pahan.
At least 1.2 million patients in the U.S. and Canada are affected by Parkinson's disease. Although 15 percent of patients are diagnosed before age 50, it is mostly considered a disease that targets older adults. It affects one in every 100 persons over the age of 60 and is slightly more prevalent in men than women.
The results of the study were published the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology.
