rifampicin is used in tuberculosis and leprosy. Doctors had noticed PD and other neurological conditions improving while patients were taking it. Epidemiological work confirmed 3x fewer cases of PD in those patients. 16 articles turn up in pubmed on it and parkinson's. Here are three full text articles. It seems to work by upregulating a heat shock protien that prevents or reverses a-Syn misfolding. It's a lot less expensive and probably safer. This benefit was first noticed 20 years ago, but they thought it was simply increasing l-dopa.
Thanks for the reference to this very interesting article.
It's a bit long and involved but I think the most interesting part is the section starting with GUT MICROBIOTA AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE.
Being on long term antibiotics has its own consequences in disruption of the microflora but changes in diet and supplementation with Pre and Pro-biotics may have similar benefits. Have you read Dr. Perlmutter's new book 'Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain - for Life'?
I was not able to find it, but I got interested when a paper on misfolding mentioned doctors noticing leprosy patients who also had PD getting better when taking the pill, it may not be a gut bacteria effect. There is also an antifungal that helped some parkinsonians that were apparently a fungus infection in the brain.
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My research summary
MOM AND DAD ALWAYS USED TO SAY STAND UP STRAIGHT AND SIT UP STRAIGHT....I GUESS THEY WERE RIGHT!
The Friendly Prune: more than just a laxative
