Neurodegenerative Diseases:
Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Parkinsons Disease
Over twenty years of clinical practice has brought us many patients with neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis, ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, and Parkinsons. Multiple viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, environmental toxins including pesticides and exposure to toxic metals including mercury, lead, and copper contribute to the development of these illnesses. Below are abstracts from the medical literature that support treating these diseases with herbal formulas that address the infectious agents and toxins that damage the nervous system. New research demosntrates the ability of several Chinese herbs to increase the transcription of nerve growth factors, assisting the regenerative process.
ALS, MS, PD SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES
Mult Scler 1998 Dec;4(6):490-6 Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection in multiple sclerosis: a preliminary report Ablashi DV, Lapps W, Kaplan M, Whitman JE, Richert JR, Pearson GR Advanced Biotechnologies Inc, Columbia, Maryland 21046, USA.
Nat Med 1997 Dec;3(12):1394-7 Association of human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) with multiple sclerosis: increased IgM response to HHV-6 early antigen and detection of serum HHV-6 DNA.Soldan SS, Berti R, Salem N, Secchiero P, Flamand L, Calabresi PA, Brennan MB, Maloni HW, McFarland HF, Lin HC, Patnaik M, Jacobson SViral Immunology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
J Neurol 1997 Jul;244(7):450-4 Human herpes virus 6 and human herpes virus 8 DNA sequences in brains of multiple sclerosis patients, normal adults and children.Merelli E, Bedin R, Sola P, Barozzi P, Mancardi GL, Ficarra G, Franchini GDepartment of Neurology, University of Modena, Italy.
Acta Neurol Scand Suppl 1997;169:76-8 Human herpesvirus-6 immunoglobulin G antibodies in patients with multiple sclerosis.Nielsen L, Larsen AM, Munk M, Vestergaard BFDepartment of Virology, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1995 Aug 1;92(16):7440-4Plaque-associated expression of human herpesvirus 6 in multiple sclerosis.Challoner PB, Smith KT, Parker JD, MacLeod DL, Coulter SN, Rose TM, Schultz ER, Bennett JL, Garber RL, Chang M, et alPathoGenesis Corporation, Seattle, WA 98119, USA.
J Neuroimmunol 1994 Jan;49(1-2):213-4 A potential role for human herpesvirus type 6 in nervous system disease.Wilborn F, Schmidt CA, Brinkmann V, Jendroska K, Oettle H, Siegert WUniversitatsklinikum Rudolf Virchow, Innere Medizin und Poliklinik mit Schwerpunkt Hamatologie und Onkologie, Berlin, Germany.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1993 Aug;56(8):917-9 Human herpesvirus 6 and multiple sclerosis: survey of anti-HHV-6 antibodies by immunofluorescence analysis and of viral sequences by polymerase chain reaction.Sola P, Merelli E, Marasca R, Poggi M, Luppi M, Montorsi M, Torelli GNeurological Department, University of Modena, Italy.
Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 1998 Nov;5(6):888-93 Accumulation of acid-fast lipochrome bodies in glial cells of the midbrain nigral lesion in Parkinson's disease.Kohbata S, Tamura T, Hayashi RDepartment of Microbiology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Tsukasa-machi 40, Gifu City, Gifu 500, Japan.
J Clin Microbiol 1995 Oct;33(10):2768-9 Nocardia species as an etiologic agent in Parkinson's disease: serological testing in a case-control study.Hubble JP, Cao T, Kjelstrom JA, Koller WC, Beaman BLDepartment of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160-7314, USA.
Adv Neurol 1993;60:355-7 Circulating antibody to Nocardia in the serum of patients with Parkinson's disease.Kohbata S, Shimokawa KDepartment of Microbiology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Infect Immun 1991 Jan;59(1):181-91 L-dopa-responsive movement disorder caused by Nocardia asteroides localized in the brains of mice.Kohbata S, Beaman BLDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California School of Medicine, Davis 95616.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 1999 Apr 1;20(4):403-7Transmission of HTLV-I to rats via peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum from a patient with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-like features.Miller M, Shohat B, Shaklai M, Ron D, Rapaport L, Gordon C, Kott E, Bodemer W, Hannig H, Hunsmann GHematology Institute, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqwa, Israel.
J Neurol Sci 1995 May;129 Suppl:145-7 Sporadic ALS/MND: a global neurodegeneration with retroviral involvement?Westarp ME, Ferrante P, Perron H, Bartmann P, Kornhuber HHDepartment of Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany.
J Neurol Sci 1995 May;129 Suppl:140-4 HTLV tax-rex DNA and antibodies in idiopathic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Ferrante P, Westarp ME, Mancuso R, Puricelli S, Westarp MP, Mini M, Caputo D, Zuffolato MRInstitute of Medical Microbiology, University of Milan, Italy.
Peptides 1994;15(2):207-14 Retroviral synthetic peptide serum antibodies in human sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Westarp ME, Foring B, Rasmussen H, Schraff S, Mertens T, Kornhuber HHUlm University Department of Neurology, Germany.
Neuroreport 1993 Jun;4(6):819-22 Antiretroviral therapy in sporadic adult amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Westarp ME, Bartmann P, Rossler J, Geiger E, Westphal KP, Schreiber H, Fuchs D, Westarp MP, Kornhuber HHUlm University Dept. Neurology, Germany.
Nervenarzt 1993 Jun;64(6):384-9 [Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--indications of increased antiretroviral seroreactivity without obvious epidemiology].[Article in German] Westarp ME, Bartmann P, Hoff-Jorgensen R, Clausen J, Rasmussen H, Kornhuber HHNeurologische Klinik der Universitat Ulm.
Eur J Med 1993 Jun-Jul;2(6):327-32 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis an enigmatic disease with B-cellular and anti-retroviral immune responses.Westarp ME, Fuchs D, Bartmann P, Hoff-Jorgensen R, Clausen J, Wachter H, Kornhuber HHDepartment of Neurology, Ulm University, Germany.
Clin Physiol Biochem 1993;10(1):1-7 Retroviral interference with neuronotrophic signaling in human motor neuron disease?Westarp ME, Westphal KP, Clausen J, Rasmussen HB, Hoff-Jorgensen R, Fohring B, Kornhuber HHUlm University Department of Neurology.
Curr Opin Neurol Neurosurg 1992 Oct;5(5):655-8 Motor neuron diseases and viruses: poliovirus, retroviruses, and lymphomas.Jubelt BDepartment of Neurology, State University of New York Health Science Center, Syracuse.
N Engl J Med 1985 Aug 1;313(5):324-5 Isolation of LAV/HTLV-III from a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Hoffman PM, Festoff BW, Giron LT Jr, Hollenbeck LC, Garruto RM, Ruscetti FWUCLA Forum Med Sci 1976;(19):217-34
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1996 Jun;60(6):698 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after accidental injection of mercury.Schwarz S, Husstedt I, Bertram HP, Kuchelmeister KMed Lav 1995 Nov-Dec;86(6):522-33 [Relationship between exposure to environmental toxins and motor neuron disease: a case report].[Article in Italian] Vanacore N, Corsi L, Fabrizio E, Bonifati V, Meco GDipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Universita La Sapienza, Roma.
Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1995;67(2):135-8 Urinary excretion of lead and mercury after oral administration of meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid in patients with motor neurone disease.Louwerse ES, Buchet JP, Van Dijk MA, de Jong VJ, Lauwerys RRAcademic Medical Center, Graduate School of Neurosciences, Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, The Netherlands.
J Neurol Sci 1993 Aug;118(1):38-42 Mercury and selenium contents in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan.Moriwaka F, Satoh H, Ejima A, Watanabe C, Tashiro K, Hamada T, Matsumoto A, Shima K, Yanagihara T, Fukazawa T, et alDepartment of Neurology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Prog Clin Biol Res 1993;380:299-310 Trace metals in human neurodegenerative diseases.Kasarskis EJ, Ehmann WD, Markesbery WRDepartment of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington.
Muscle Nerve 1992 Oct;15(10):1089-94 Inorganic mercury is transported from muscular nerve terminals to spinal and brainstem motoneurons.Arvidson BDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku 1991 Aug;31(8):885-7 [A clinical evaluation of the inorganic mercurialism--its pathogenic relation to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].[Article in Japanese] Moriwaka F, Tashiro K, Doi R, Satoh H, Fukuchi YDepartment of Neurology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku 1990 Nov;30(11):1275-7 [Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and mercury--preliminary report].[Article in Japanese] Mano Y, Takayanagi T, Abe T, Takizawa YDepartment of Neurology, Nara Medical University.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A case-control study following detection of a cluster in a small Wisconsin community.Sienko DG, Davis JP, Taylor JA, Brooks BRBureau of Community Health and Prevention, Wisconsin Division of Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku 1989 Jul;29(7):844-8 [Mercury in hair of patients with ALS].Mano Y, Takayanagi T, Ishitani A, Hirota T
J Neurol Sci 1989 Jul;91(3):231-58 Animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and the spinal muscular atrophies.Sillevis Smitt PA, de Jong JMDepartment of Neurology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Neurol Clin 1987 Feb;5(1):43-60 Heavy metals and trace elements in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Mitchell JD
Neuroepidemiology 1986;5(1):29-38 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and occupational heavy metal exposure: a case-control study.Gresham LS, Molgaard CA, Golbeck AL, Smith R
JAMA 1983 Aug 5;250(5):642-3 Mercury intoxication simulating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Adams CR, Ziegler DK, Lin JT
J Occup Med 1978 Oct;20(10):667-9 Inorganic mercury intoxication reminiscent of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Barber TE
Arch Environ Health 1968 Nov;17(5):712-9 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and metallic toxins.Currier RD, Haerer AF
J Neural Transm 1997;104(6-7):661-77 Alterations in the distribution of glutathione in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease.Pearce RK, Owen A, Daniel S, Jenner P, Marsden CDNeurodegenerative Diseases Research Centre, King's College, London, United Kingdom.
Neurology 1997 Mar;48(3):650-8 Occupational exposures to metals as risk factors for Parkinson's disease.Gorell JM, Johnson CC, Rybicki BA, Peterson EL, Kortsha GX, Brown GG, Richardson RJDepartment of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
Neurotoxicology 1996 Spring;17(1):291-5 The enigma of parkinsonism in chronic borderline mercury intoxication, resolved by challenge with penicillamine.Finkelstein Y, Vardi J, Kesten MM, Hod IDepartment of Neurology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 1995 Feb 28;115(6):757 [Parkinson disease, mercury and other heavy metals].[Article in Norwegian] Bjorklund G
Nippon Rinsho 1993 Nov;51(11):2924-8 [Extrapyramidal syndrome induced by chemical substances].[Article in Japanese] Inoue NDepartment of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University.
Neurology 1993 Jun;43(6):1173-80 Parkinson's disease: a test of the multifactorial etiologic hypothesis.Semchuk KM, Love EJ, Lee RGDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada.
Mov Disord 1993;8(1):87-92 Parkinson's disease mortality and the industrial use of heavy metals in Michigan.Rybicki BA, Johnson CC, Uman J, Gorell JMDepartment of Biostatistics and Research Epidemiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
Neuroepidemiology 1989;8(3):128-41 Epidemiologic study on the association between body burden mercury level and idiopathic Parkinson's disease.Ngim CH, Devathasan GDepartment of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine, National University of Singapore.
Scand J Work Environ Health 1981 Dec;7(4):252-6 Parkinson's disease and occupational exposure to organic solvents, agricultural chemicals and mercury--a case-referent study.Ohlson CG, Hogstedt C
Z Ernahrungswiss 1978 Jun;17(2):84-8 Neurological syndromes produced by some toxic metals encountered industrially or environmentally.Bahiga LM, Kotb NA, El-Dessoukey EA
Int J Epidemiol 1998 Aug;27(4):667-71 Dental amalgam and multiple sclerosis: a case-control study in Montreal, Canada.Bangsi D, Ghadirian P, Ducic S, Morisset R, Ciccocioppo S, McMullen E, Krewski DEpidemiology Research Unit, Research Center, Hotel-Dieu Pavilion, CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Altern Med Rev 1998 Aug;3(4):295-300 Cerebrospinal fluid protein changes in multiple sclerosis after dental amalgam removal.Huggins HA, Levy TECenter for Progressive Medicine, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Neurol Neurochir Pol 1997 Sep-Oct;31(5):905-13 [Changes in the nervous system due to occupational metallic mercury poisoning].Article in Polish] Langauer-Lewowicka H, Zajac-Nedza MKliniki Chorob Zawodowych Instytutu Medycyny Pracy i Zdrowia Srodowiskowego w Sosnowcu.
J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1997;35(1):49-54 Brain mercury in neurodegenerative disorders.Fung YK, Meade AG, Rack EP, Blotcky AJDepartment of Oral Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry, Lincoln 68583-0740, USA.
Sci Total Environ 1994 Mar 15;142(3):191-205 Evidence that mercury from silver dental fillings may be an etiological factor in multiple sclerosis.Siblerud RL, Kienholz ERocky Mountain Research Institute, Inc., Fort Collins, CO 80524.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku 1990 Nov;30(11):1275-7 [Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and mercury--preliminary report][Article in Japanese] Mano Y, Takayanagi T, Abe T, Takizawa YDepartment of Neurology, Nara Medical University.
Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1983 Mar;4(1):55-61 Epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of multiple sclerosis. Hypothesis and fact.Ingalls TH
Mitochondria in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Swerdlow RH, Parks JK, Cassarino DS, Trimmer PA, Miller SW, Maguire DJ, Sheehan JP, Maguire RS, Pattee G, Juel VC, Phillips LH, Tuttle JB, Bennett JP Jr, Davis RE, Parker WD JrDepartment of Neurology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, 1 Hospital Drive, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
Am J Epidemiol 1997 Jun 15;145(12):1076-88 Occupational exposures and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A population-based case-control study.McGuire V, Longstreth WT Jr, Nelson LM, Koepsell TD, Checkoway H, Morgan MS, van Belle GDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-9775, USA.
Chung Hua Shen Ching Ching Shen Ko Tsa Chih 1991 Dec;24(6):336-8, 383 [The report of organophosphorus pesticides cause delayed nervous system diseases (143 cases)].[Article in Chinese] Zhang CJiaojang Hospital.
J Neurol Sci 1986 Jan;72(1):49-60 Collagenase activity in skin fibroblasts of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Beach RL, Rao JS, Festoff BW, Reyes ET, Yanagihara R, Gajdusek DC
Mov Disord 1999 Jan;14(1):28-37 Nutritional and occupational factors influencing the risk of Parkinson's disease: a case-control study in southeastern Sweden.Fall PA, Fredrikson M, Axelson O, Granerus AKDepartment of Neuroscience and Locomotion, Linkoping University, Sweden.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1998 Summer;11(2):98-106 Genetic epidemiology of Parkinson's disease.Payami H, Zareparsi SDepartment of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201-3098, USA.
Lancet 1998 Oct 24;352(9137):1344-6 Parkinson's disease, pesticides, and glutathione transferase polymorphisms.Menegon A, Board PG, Blackburn AC, Mellick GD, Le Couteur DGDepartment of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, Canberra Clinical School, The Canberra Hospital, Australia.
J Neurosci Res 1998 Sep 1;53(5):551-8 Antibodies from patients with Parkinson's disease react with protein modified by dopamine oxidation.Rowe DB, Le W, Smith RG, Appel SHDepartment of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Neurology 1998 May;50(5):1346-50 The risk of Parkinson's disease with exposure to pesticides, farming, well water, and rural living.Gorell JM, Johnson CC, Rybicki BA, Peterson EL, Richardson RJDepartment of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA