Potential Application of Yokukansan as a Remedy for Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by complex motor and nonmotor symptoms. The clinical diagnosis of PD is defined by bradykinesia and other cardinal motor features, although several nonmotor symptoms are also related to disability, an impaired quality of life, and shortened life expectancy. Levodopa, which is used as a standard pharmacotherapy for PD, has limitations including a short half-life, fluctuations in efficacy, and dyskinesias with long-term use. There have been efforts to develop complementary and alternative therapies for incurable PD. Yokukansan (YKS) is a traditional herbal medicine that is widely used for treating neurosis, insomnia, and night crying in children. The clinical efficacy of YKS for treating behavioral and psychological symptoms, such as delusions, hallucinations, and impaired agitation/aggression subscale and activities of daily living scores, has mainly been investigated in the context of neurological disorders such as PD, Alzheimer's disease, and other psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, YKS has previously been found to improve clinical symptoms, such as sleep disturbances, neuropsychiatric and cognitive impairments, pain, and tardive dyskinesia. Preclinical studies have reported that the broad efficacy of YKS for various symptoms involves its regulation of neurotransmitters including GABA, serotonin, glutamate, and dopamine, as well as the expression of dynamin and glutamate transporters, and changes in glucocorticoid hormones and enzymes such as choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase. Moreover, YKS has neuroprotective effects at various cellular levels via diverse mechanisms. In this review, we focus on the clinical efficacy and neuropharmacological effects of YKS. We discuss the possible mechanisms underpinning the effects of YKS on neuropathology and suggest that the multiple actions of YKS may be beneficial as a treatment for PD. We highlight the potential that YKS may serve as a complementary and alternative strategy for the treatment of PD.

Effective Treatment of Adult Parasomnias with Keishikaryukotsuboreito in Four Cases

“…Recently, another herbal medicine, YKS, was reported to be effective for treating idiopathic RBD ( 25 ). In preclinical studies, YKS has been shown to regulate neurotransmitters, including γ-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, glutamate, and dopamine; regulate the expression of dynamin and glutamate transporters; and regulate the levels of glucocorticoid hormones and related enzymes, such as choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase ( 26 ). YKS consists of seven crude drugs, none of which are shared by KRB.…”

Ukgansan Protects Dopaminergic Neurons against MPTP-Induced Neurotoxicity via the Nurr1 Signaling Pathway

“…Various studies have been conducted on the effects and mechanisms of Ukgansan and its herbal ingredients to confirm its potential application in the treatment of neurological diseases, including PD [ 40 ]. It was also reported that the multiple potential actions of Ukgansan in PD were explained through neurotransmissions, such as glutamate and dopamine, and mechanisms such as neuroprotection, neuroplasticity promotion, and the anti-effects of stress and inflammation [ 17 , 21 , 40 ]. Ukgansan was reported to have neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic neurons from toxicity caused by MPP+/MPTP and improved motor function by activating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt.…”

Examining the Effect of Art Therapy on Reducing Emotion Regulation Difficulties: Therapy or Education?

“…The program was planned for eight weeks with each session lasting 180 minutes. The program was prepared by the researcher using many sources (Allen, 2017;Demir, 2017;Jalambadani, Borji, & Bakaeian, 2020;Jang et al, 2018;Peterson & Rappaport, 2014).…”