L-deprenyl therapy in Thai patients with Parkinson's disease: before and after, clinical trial of 50 patients

Abstract

Fifty Thai patients with Parkinson's disease of all staging were allocated for 10 mg/day L-deprenyl therapy as the monotherapy (6 patients) and adjunctive therapy for at least two months. The assessment of this open study included the activities of daily living using Schwab/England Scale, Hoehn and Yahr staging and Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) by comparison of the initial and after two month of treatment scores. There was improvement of both Schwab/England Scale and UPDRS in Hoehn and Yahr stage I, II and III patients. In stage IV and V patients there was no benefit of L-deprenyl therapy of both clinical and statistical analyses. Adverse effects of L-deprenyl were not serious. There were dry mouth (20%), anorexia (10%), nausea and vomiting (8%), insomnia (6%), lightheadedness (4%) constipation (4%), abdominal pain (2%), generalised ache (2%). We conclude that L-deprenyl therapy is effective, safe, but costly. It is more effective in early Parkinsonism. The effectiveness of L-deprenyl is less in more advanced states of Parkinson's disease. Thus, selection of the appropriate Parkinsonian patient for L-deprenyl therapy is vital.