Medicinal Plant, St John's Wort, May Reduce Neuronal Degeneration Caused By Parkinson's Disease:

"A research team from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) has carried out a study entitled, “Hypericum perforatum. Possible option against Parkinson's disease”, which suggests that this plant with antidepressant properties has antioxidant active ingredients that could help reduce the neuronal degeneration caused by the disease."


In the last few years, the idea that the excessive numbers of free radicals has an important role in the complex etiology of Parkinson's disease has spread. Post-mortem investigations have revealed evidence of lipid peroxidation as well as oxidative damage to the DNA of brain proteins in patients suffering from the disease. The increase of oxidative stress is attributed, among other factors, to a less active mitochondrial complex I. Certain environmental contaminants such as pesticides, and in particular Rotenone, can cause Parkinson's. Nevertheless, the mechanism that causes Rotenone to have these effects is not yet fully understood. The hypothesis is that the increase in the production of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by the altered function of the mitochondrial complex I could be the cause of the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons through the apoptotic process.