Pharmacological

Surgical

Alternative Medicine

Therapies

Although the progression of Parkinson's disease cannot be prevented, the treatment of its signs and symptoms can greatly increase an individual's quality of life. Treatment includes pharmacolgical , surgical interventions  ,therapies and alternative medicines. as well as various therapies and alternative medicine.

Pharmacology

Levodopa Combinations:
Levodopa combinations are available as immediate release formulations or a long-acting formulations. An example of a commonly prescribed combination is Levodpa/Carbidopa (Sinemet). This medication is a combination of Levodopa and Carbidopa. It is used for the relief of tremors, rigidity and slowness. It is the most effective treatment for many of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. When Levodopa is taken orally, it crosses through the "blood-brain barrier" and is converted to dopamine. It is then released by brain cells and activates dopamine receptors which allow for normal function of the movement control centers of the brain. In addition, the resulting increase in brain dopamine concentrations is believed to improve nerve conduction. Carbidopa does not cross the "blood-brain barrier" and prevents the breakdown of Levodopa before it crosses into the brain. The addition of Carbidopa allows lower doses of Levodopa to be used which reduces possible side effects. Often after several years of using this drug, it can lose its effectiveness.

COMT inhibitors:
This class of medications consists of enzymes which are used in combination with levodopa-containing medicines. COMT inhibitors work by blocking an enzyme called Catechol-O­methyl Transferase (COMT) that breaks down Levodopa. As a result, they slow the destruction of levodopa in the body. They are often used to permit Levodopa/Carbidopa (Sinemet) to work better, when it starts to lose its effectiveness. It assists with the metabolism of Levodopa/Carbidopa. It is available together with Levodopa and Carbidopa in a combined product called Stalevo.

Dopamine agonists:
Dopamine agonists are a class of drug that mimic the effects of the brain chemical dopamine. These agonists stimulate nerve cells and produce similar effects to the natural dopamine found in our brains. Dopamine agonists may be used alone or in combination with levodopa to relieve the motor symptoms of Parkinson's. There is some theoretical evidence that these agonists may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease, but scientists have not proven this.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO-B inhibitors):
This is a less commonly used class of medications that increase the amount of dopamine available in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease. For example it can be used to make the dose of Sinemet or Madopar last longer or reduce the amount required. They can be very helpful in a small subset of patients with Parkinson's disease and they often have fewer side effects than the dopamine agonists.

Glutamate Antagonist:
This was initially developed as an antiviral medication but it was found to help the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. It may be used alone or in combination with levodopa or dopamine agonists. It does several things, but its main beneficial effect is to promote the release of dopamine and to allow it to stay longer at its site of action. Glutamate antagonists reduce symptoms of fatigue, tremor and bradykinesia in some people with early Parkinson's disease.