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Potential Role of Cannabinoids in Parkinson’s Disease

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Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra, resulting from an oxidative stress. The lack of dopaminergic neurons is reflected by a disturbed balance of the neural circuitry in the basal ganglia. Cannabinoids might alleviate some parkinsonian symptoms by their remarkable receptor-mediated modulatory action in the basal ganglia output nuclei. Moreover, it was recently observed that some cannabinoids are potent antioxidants that can protect neurons from death even without cannabinoid receptor activation. It seems that cannabinoids could delay or even stop progressive degeneration of brain dopaminergic systems, a process for which there is presently no prevention. In combination with currently used drugs, cannabinoids might represent, qualitatively, a new approach to the treatment of PD, making it more effective.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pharmacology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic

    Jan Ševčík & Karel Mašek

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  1. Jan Ševčík
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  2. Karel Mašek
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Correspondence to Jan Ševčík.

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Ševčík, J., Mašek, K. Potential Role of Cannabinoids in Parkinson’s Disease. Drugs & Aging 16, 391–395 (2000). https://doi.org/10.2165/00002512-200016060-00001

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