UDCA shows promise in Parkinson's disease

A drug which has already been in use for decades to treat liver disease could be an effective treatment to slow down progression of Parkinson's disease, scientists from the University of Sheffield have discovered, reports EurekAlert.

The pioneering research led by academics from the Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), UK, in collaboration with scientists from the University of York, supports the fast-tracking of the drug ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for a clinical trial in Parkinson's patients.

Heather Mortiboys, Parkinson's UK Senior Research Fellow from the University of Sheffield, explained: "We demonstrated the beneficial effects of UDCA in the tissue of LRRK2 carriers with Parkinson's disease as well as currently asymptomatic LRRK2 carriers. In both cases, UDCA improved mitochondrial function as demonstrated by the increase in oxygen consumption and cellular energy levels."