Deprenyl

Deprenyl is a drug that has been widely used to treat Parkinson’s disease. In Parkinson’s disease, dopamine, a major nerve transmitter, decreases due to the action of two enzymes, monoamine oxidases (MAOs). MAO B occurs in the brain; MAO A occurs outside the brain and breaks up some amino acids present in food, thus serving a necessary purpose. Deprenyl inhibits only MAO B, and thus in combination with L-Dopa may be used to treat Parkinson’s. Deprenyl may also act against several toxic chemicals produced when MAO B destroys dopamine. It may also have an anti-depressant effect.

Deprenyl’s anti-aging benefits may include improved memory, slowing of the loss of sexual capacity and increased lifespan. A 1989 study conducted by Dr. J. Knoll showed that rats given Deprenyl beginning in their 24th month lived 30% longer than untreated rats. A 1990 study from the University of Toronto and McMaster University on a different strain of rat showed that treated rats lived 16% longer than controls. A 1991 study conducted by a group from Israel and Italy (Brandeis, Sapir, Kapon, Borelli, Cadel and Valsecchi) tested Deprenyl’s effect on memory in aging rats and found that it improved the memories of both aging and young rats. Research carried out in 2001 found that deprenyl protects the nigostrital area of the rat brain (the area of the brain damaged in human Parkinson’s disease) from damage induced by the pesticide paraquat, a chemical that has been strongly associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, another study carried out in 2000 found that deprenyl could be considered as an alternative to levodopa for starting treatment in Parkinson’s patients. Several studies have also found evidence to suggest that deprenyl may be of some use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Side effects can include nausea, stomach ache, drowsiness and depression. High dosages can result in sudden high blood pressure spikes and agitation.

Distribution: Standard dosage for humans is 10mg/day Deprenyl is sold in the U.S. for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease under the name Eldepryl.