Common cough medicine could slow dementia in Parkinson’s patients, study hints
How common cough syrup could help Parkinson’s patients
- A new study suggests that Ambroxol, a common cough syrup, may slow the progression of dementia in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
- The year-long clinical trial involving 55 participants found Ambroxol to be safe, well-tolerated, and capable of reaching therapeutic levels in the brain.
- Participants receiving Ambroxol showed stable neuropsychiatric symptoms, unlike the placebo group, where symptoms worsened, and those with high-risk genetic variants showed improved cognitive performance.
- The drug appears to protect the brain from deterioration, as indicated by stable levels of the brain damage marker GFAP in the Ambroxol group compared to an increase in the placebo group.
- While Ambroxol is widely used in Europe for respiratory conditions, it remains unapproved for any use in the United States or Canada, with researchers hoping for larger trials to confirm its effectiveness.