title: The potential use of vitamin E and selenium in parkinsonism.
abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative illness which affects a significant number of the older population. Its treatment, which consists mostly of the dopamine precursor, L-Dopa, is associated with various complications. Research which has been conducted in order to develop drugs which might be without these toxic side-effects has not so far been met with a great degree of success. Recently the development of a parkinson-like syndrome in addicts who were using the compound methyl-phenyl-pyridine has refocused attention on the possible participation of free radicals in the etiology of PD. Herein it is postulated that the use of the free radical scavengers, vitamin E and selenium, might be effective in the early treatment of PD and might help to circumvent some of the complications associated with agonists therapy.
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000633:toxicity; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D016627:Oxidopamine; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D012643:Selenium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D011725:Pyridines; D014810:Vitamin E; D016627:Oxidopamine; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D012643:Selenium