On 2014 Jul 16, David Keller commented:

Beta-asarone, derived from the herb Acorus tatarinowii Schott, has demonstrated neuro-protection against cerebral ischemia in rats (1). Now, this study raises the possibility that beta-asarone might be co-administered with levodopa to increase brain levels of dopamine by a different mechanism than benserazide or (in the U.S.) carbidopa.

Co-administration of beta-asarone could thereby allow reduction of the dose of carbidopa/levodopa required to achieve symptom control in PD. High doses of carbidopa/levodopa are thought to deplete vitamin B6, increasing the risk of peripheral neuropathy and seizures (2,3,4,5).

References

1: Yang YX, Chen YT, Zhou XJ, Hong CL, Li CY, Guo JY. Beta-asarone, a major component of Acorus tatarinowii Schott, attenuates focal cerebral ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Sep 25;13:236. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-236. PubMed PMID: 24066702; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3853232

2: Skodda S, Müller T. Refractory epileptic seizures due to vitamin B6 deficiency in a patient with Parkinson's disease under duodopa® therapy. J Neural Transm. 2013 Feb;120(2):315-8. doi: 10.1007/s00702-012-0856-1. Epub 2012 Jul 14. PubMed PMID: 22798026.

3: Bamford CR, Highkin DJ, Sandyk R, Travis T, Lee S, Torres F, Auerbach G. Serial epilepsy caused by levodopa/carbidopa administration in two patients on hemodialysis. Int J Neurosci. 1990 Feb;50(3-4):209-14. PubMed PMID: 2265898.

4: Das Gupta V, Gupta A. Effect of pyridoxal 5-phosphate on carbidopa and decarboxylation of levodopa. J Pharm Sci. 1980 Oct;69(10):1145-8. PubMed PMID: 7420279.

5: Müller T, van Laar T, Cornblath DR, Odin P, Klostermann F, Grandas FJ, Ebersbach G, Urban PP, Valldeoriola F, Antonini A. Peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson's disease: levodopa exposure and implications for duodenal delivery. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2013 May;19(5):501-7 ; discussion 501. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2013.02.006. Epub 2013 Feb 27. Review. PubMed PMID: 23453891.

On 2014 Jul 16, David Keller commented:

Beta-asarone, derived from the herb Acorus tatarinowii Schott, has demonstrated neuro-protection against cerebral ischemia in rats (1). Now, this study raises the possibility that beta-asarone might be co-administered with levodopa to increase brain levels of dopamine by a different mechanism than benserazide or (in the U.S.) carbidopa.

Co-administration of beta-asarone could thereby allow reduction of the dose of carbidopa/levodopa required to achieve symptom control in PD. High doses of carbidopa/levodopa are thought to deplete vitamin B6, increasing the risk of peripheral neuropathy and seizures (2,3,4,5).

References

1: Yang YX, Chen YT, Zhou XJ, Hong CL, Li CY, Guo JY. Beta-asarone, a major component of Acorus tatarinowii Schott, attenuates focal cerebral ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Sep 25;13:236. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-236. PubMed PMID: 24066702; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3853232

2: Skodda S, Müller T. Refractory epileptic seizures due to vitamin B6 deficiency in a patient with Parkinson's disease under duodopa® therapy. J Neural Transm. 2013 Feb;120(2):315-8. doi: 10.1007/s00702-012-0856-1. Epub 2012 Jul 14. PubMed PMID: 22798026.

3: Bamford CR, Highkin DJ, Sandyk R, Travis T, Lee S, Torres F, Auerbach G. Serial epilepsy caused by levodopa/carbidopa administration in two patients on hemodialysis. Int J Neurosci. 1990 Feb;50(3-4):209-14. PubMed PMID: 2265898.

4: Das Gupta V, Gupta A. Effect of pyridoxal 5-phosphate on carbidopa and decarboxylation of levodopa. J Pharm Sci. 1980 Oct;69(10):1145-8. PubMed PMID: 7420279.

5: Müller T, van Laar T, Cornblath DR, Odin P, Klostermann F, Grandas FJ, Ebersbach G, Urban PP, Valldeoriola F, Antonini A. Peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson's disease: levodopa exposure and implications for duodenal delivery. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2013 May;19(5):501-7 ; discussion 501. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2013.02.006. Epub 2013 Feb 27. Review. PubMed PMID: 23453891.