Although largely untested in the West, preliminary studies suggest that Ayurveda - an ancient Indian healing system that combines a variety of interventions including herbal remedies - can relieve some Parkinson’s symptoms.
Mucuna plants, which are used in Ayurveda herbal treatments, are known to contain levodopa - a principal medical treatment of Parkinson’s that increases the dopamine levels in the brain to reduce symptoms of the disease. Several studies into mucuna plants and Parkinson’s have had positive results and some have even suggested that the plant might have advantages over conventional levodopa preparations in the long term management of Parkinson’s (however a controlled study of this is still needed).
A qualified herbal practitioner will be able to advise on other remedies, for example nervine herbs to reduce tremors, or vascular dilators to relax rigid muscles. But it is worth reminding that natural does not mean harmless, and some herbal treatments can have serious side effects and interfere with Parkinson’s medications.
