A while ago the following article was posted on the forum.
Simply crushed Zizyphi spinosi semen prevents neurodegenerative diseases and reverses age-related cognitive decline in mice
(Department of Translational Neuroscience, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_...
My pwp and I decided to conduct a test based on the study. This is a recap of our experience.
A little background: My pwp was diagnosed 3 years ago. His primary symptoms are slowness, loss of dexterity and power in his movements, difficulty with some complex mental tasks, and, recently, occasional freezing and drooling. Initially he suffered from serious anxiety, but that resolved when he began B1 therapy.
He does not use any prescription meds or any non-prescription source of dopamine. He takes several supplements, including a probiotic, B1, B12, NAC, curcumin, vitamin C, and a multivitamin. He has never had trouble sleeping, but I believe his sleep is not usually restful. He does Rock Steady Boxing three times a week.
The B1 therapy, used for 2 years, seems to have slowed his progression but he can’t take it for more than a few weeks now without worsening symptoms. He is down to 25 mg of HCL B1 once or twice a week.
I have had essential tremor for about 40 years and have had recurrent insomnia for that same amount of time. This past year I’ve developed peripheral neuropathy. Because of these symptoms, I decided to take part in the test as well.
In mid-November, we began our test, attempting to duplicate the Japanese study as closely as possible. When we began, we had no method for converting the dosage for mice into one for humans, so we decided to use the amounts recommended for sleep, which was 1 gram, or ½ teaspoon of powder.
We purchased wild jujube seed that had been “cooked” (boiled to make the seed usable for tea). We rinsed it, dried it, and ground it in a coffee grinder until powdery. Then we used a tea strainer to eliminate any coarse particles. To optimize freshness, we ground a new quantity each week and stored it in a covered glass container in the refrigerator.
To use, we mixed ½ teaspoon of powder with a little water or yogurt and took it about an hour before bedtime. We did this for 5 days each week and then skipped two days before starting again the next week.
The mouse test took place over four weeks. After four weeks, we analyzed our experience. Our sleep seemed to improve quite a bit. It became deeper and going back to sleep after waking in the night was much easier. My pwp usually awoke 2 or 3 times in the night for trips to the bathroom. That number changed to 1. However, we did not notice any change in Parkinson’s or essential tremor symptoms.
Because mice and humans differ in metabolism and because we are still uncertain as to the most effective dosage, we decided to extend our test for another four weeks. We have just completed the full 8 weeks.
I have not noticed any change in my essential tremor. My thinking seems a bit sharper and faster to me.
My pwp has not noticed any improvement in movement or freezing. However, there seem to be two other changes. He has always been a dedicated reader of books, but for the past three years his interest in reading has ceased. Except for the occasional article or short book on Parkinson’s, he has not touched a book. Now, however, his interest is rekindled. He seems to be curious again and has recently spent several hours each day learning about AI. He has also become more assertive in subtle ways. Are these changes due to jujube seeds? We are wondering.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone else who has tried the seeds. Have you experienced any changes? If so, what protocol did you use?
Any opinions as to whether or not we should continue would also be appreciated.
The jujube seed we used was labeled
Semen Ziziphi Spinosae (Wild Jujube Seed) (Sheng Zao Ren)
Anyone find C/L ineffective? 
PD is relentless 
Neurologist Examination
How many mg of Vitamin B1
