Jul 09, 2014 01:55 PM EDT By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

A common food spice may be able to halt the progression of Parkinson's disease, according to a recent study.

Neurological scientist at Rush University Medical Center found that using cinnamon can reverse the biomechanical, cellular and anatomical changes that occur in the brains of mice with Parkinson's disease.

 "Cinnamon has been used widely as a spice throughout the world for centuries," Kalipada Pahan, lead researcher of the study, said in a statement. "This could potentially be one of the safest approaches to halt disease progression in Parkinson's patients."

The flavoring material is metabolized in the liver to sodium benzoate, which is an FDA-approved drug "used in the treatment for hepatic metabolic defects associated with hyperammonemia," said Pahan. It is also widely used as a food preservative due to its microbiocidal effect.

Based on the findings, after oral feeding, ground cinnamon is metabolized into sodium benzoate, which then enters into the brain, stops the loss of Parkin and DJ-1, protects neurons, normalizes neurotransmitter levels, and improves motor functions in mice with Parkinson's disease.

 "Now we need to translate this finding to the clinic and test ground cinnamon in patients with PD. If these results are replicated in PD patients, it would be a remarkable advance in the treatment of this devastating neurodegenerative disease," Pahan said.

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive disease that affects a small area of cells within the mid-brain known as the substantia nigra. It affects about 1.2 million patients in the United States and Canada.

Although 15 percent of patients are diagnosed before age 50, it is generally considered a disease that targets older adults, affecting one of every 100 persons over the age of 60. This disease appears to be slightly more common in men than women.

The findings were recently published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology.

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