Chicago, Aug 19: Regular use of over-the-counter pain relievers might help delay or prevent the neurological disorder Parkinson's disease, research suggests. The risk of developing the disease was 45 per cent lower in people who used drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen at least twice weekly than it was in nonusers, according to a review of two large studies.
If replicated in more rigorous research, the findings are potentially significant since there is no proven treatment to prevent or delay the onset of Parkinson's, said lead author Dr. Honglei Chen, a Harvard School of Public Health Instructor.
The disease affects more than half a million people in the United States.
The results, however, are too preliminary to warrant recommending painkillers to prevent Parkinson's, Chen said.
His research appears in August's archives of neurology, published yesterday.
The report echoes laboratory research in animals suggesting that drugs known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, or nsaids, might help protect against Parkinson's. The new data, based on an analysis of two studies of health professionals, are the first to suggest similar results in humans, Chen said.
Bureau Report