Cough syrup drug being trialled as Parkinson’s treatment

After finding that a drug found in cough syrups may have use as a treatment for Parkinson's disease, UCL researchers have received funding for the next stage in clinical trials. Ambroxol, a medication originally designed to clear phlegm and ease coughing for people with respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, is being tested to see if it can slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease by keeping cells healthier for longer. A research team led by Professor Tony Schapira (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) reported in January that ambroxol was safe and well-tolerated in 17 study participants with Parkinson's disease. According to the findings published in JAMA Neurology , the drug also effectively crossed the blood-brain barrier and increased levels of the glucocerebrosidase (GCase) protein in the participants' brain cells. This protein allows cells to remove waste more effectively, a function which evidence suggests is deficient in some people with Parkinson's. Increasing levels of the protein may have the potential to keep cells healthier for longer and, therefore, slow Parkinson's progression. This week, The Cure Parkinson's Trust (CPT), the Van Andel Institute (VAI) and the John Black Charitable Foundation announced £522,126 of funding for the next stage of the research, which will seek to determine the optimal dosage of ambroxol.