The researchers tested over 2,000 compounds to find out which ones could make faulty mitochondria work normally again.
Mitochondria act as the power generators in all cells of our body, including the brain. Malfunctioning mitochondria are one of the main reasons why brain cells die in Parkinson’s.
One of the promising medications identified though the research is a synthetic drug called ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).
This licenced drug has been in clinical use for several decades to treat certain forms of liver disease which means that researchers will be able to immediately start a clinical trial to test its safety and tolerability in people with Parkinson’s.
source: Universty of Sheffield: http://www.shef.ac.uk/news/nr/parkinsons-drug-screen-1.305775
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