Parkinson Disease

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Pau D'Arco (Lapachol, Tabebuia Impetiginosa, Tabebuia Heptaphylla) [1, 20]:

Please note, this treatment has potentially serious side effects. Some of the chemicals in the plant are known to be toxic. High doses are known to cause liver and kidney. Even at low doses, chemicals in the plant may interfere with blood clotting, causing excess bleeding and anaemia. Pau D'Arco should be avoided, especially by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Recommendation: Strongly against (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Pau D'arco helps to treat parkinsons disease. This, combined with its potentially harmful side effects if taken without supervision from a doctor or pharmacist gives enough reason to avoid this treatment.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Megavitamin Therapy (Multivitamin, Vitamin Supplements) [1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19]:

Please Note that while supplements are effective in correcting deficiencies in the body, their long-term usage is not helpful in preventing diseases like cancer and heart disease. To prevent these illnesses one should eat the natural foods which these vitamins and minerals come from. Replacing natural sources with artificial supplements actually increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Supplements should be taken only as a balanced multivitamin supplement that contains no more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance. It would be most helpful in people with restricted food intakes, pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

Recommendation: Weakly against. (There is no evidence that Megavitamin therapy can prevent or treat Parkinsons disease. In fact, long term therapy can lead to increased risk for other diseases)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Cannabis (Marijuana, weed, hemp) [1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that cannabis helps to treat symptoms of Parkinsons disease. Studies have yielded mixed results.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Germanium (Germanium Sesquioxide, Vitamin O) [1, 2, 3, 4]:

WARNING: Germanium may cause permanent Kidney failure. Even organic supplements, though less toxic than inorganic supplements, have caused kidney and liver damage. NOT TO BE USED.

Recommendation: strongly against (Evidence shows that Germanium is not effective in treating Parkinsons disease in any way, and is also toxic, causing severe kidney and liver damage.)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Neuro-Linguistic Programming:

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that Neuro-linguistic Programing helps in any way to treat Parkinson's Disease)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Belladonna (deadly nightshade, naked ladies) [21, 22]:

WARNING: Belladonna is poisonous and may be toxic

Recommendation: Strongly against (Belladonna is poisonous and there is no evidence to support the use of Belladonna to treat parkinson's disease)

Grade of evidence: very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. Baselt, R. (2008). Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man (8 ed.). Foster City, CA: Biomedical Publications. pp. 693–694.

3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9237323

4. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/germanium

5. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/marijuana.html

6. http://nccam.nih.gov/research/extramural/awards/2004/

7. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/marijuana

8. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/treatments/complementary--alternative-medicine/marijuana/index.aspx

9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16957511

10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12965981

11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17589370

12. http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/6/11/2921.long

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2562334/?tool=pmcentrez 

14. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/orthomolecular-medicine

15. http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/163/2/192.pdf

16. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/ortho.html

17. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/72/5/707

18. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/about-ama/13638.shtml

19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17327526

20. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pau-d-arco

21. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8711457?dopt=Abstract

22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21194906

Public Discussion