The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application serial number 62/111,811 filed on February 04, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to improvements in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. More specifically, the present invention relates particularly to the amelioration of motor and non-motor symptoms of the disease.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder. Briefly described, PD is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease which manifests itself during the 5th or 6th decade of life. Clinically, PD is characterized by abnormal motor manifestations referred to as TRAP (i.e., Tremor [shaking], Rigidity [stiffness], Akinesia [paucity of spontaneous movements], and Postural instability [poor balance]). These cardinal features are due mainly, though not exclusively, to the loss of brain cells called dopaminergic neurons which are located in a discrete region of the brain known as the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNPC). PD is essentially a sporadic condition, meaning that it occurs, approximately 90% of the time, in absence of any genetic linkage; the remaining cases are inherited and caused by a variety of genetic defects. Yet, even in those rare genetic cases where we know the cause, the mechanism by which the loss of the dopamine neurons occurs in PD remains enigmatic. The consensus in the field is to consider that, without a more precise understanding of the neurobiology of PD, it will be nearly impossible to find an effective protective treatment for PD.

Recent published reports have shown that trophic factor supplements such as GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor) could mitigate dopaminergic neuronal loss both in experimental models and in PD patients. However, despite encouraging first set of results, subsequent clinical trials have failed to reproduce the reported beneficial effects. One problem with exogenous supplements of GDNF is that, even when delivered in a specific region, GDNF may diffuse away the site of interest and not necessarily hit the correct targets. To circumvent such a critical issue, a more promising strategy could be to force the glial cells [brain support cells] and neurons, which, in the brain, are normally responsible for GDNF production, to produce more GDNF. While such effect could be achieved by gene therapy through the use using viral vectors, oral administration of drugs that supposedly stimulate GDNF production may be, at least for now, a safer and more convenient means to enhance GDNF production in the brain.

Ibogaine, in Africa, is a ritual use plant derivative (from the plant Tabernanthe

Iboga) with "mind-expanding" qualities. Several scientific studies have shown ibogaine to exhibit anti-monoamine oxidase, anti-addictive, anti-epileptic, anti-depressive and stimulant qualities. It has also been shown recently that the up-regulation of the GDNF pathway in the midbrain by Ibogaine is the molecular mechanism of its anti-addiction action and that this effect remains long after Ibogaine has disappeared from the system. This long-lasting effect is thought to be due primarily to the long-lasting induction of the GDNF pathway in which secreted GDNF induces its own expression leading to somewhat of a constant elevation of GDNF.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. When administered twice daily to subjects diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the invention, a proprietary compound whose active ingredient is ibogaine HC1, ameliorates or eliminates a broad range of motor and non-motor symptoms associated with the disease within 30 days of initial administration.

1. Saliva and drooling: "I had increased saliva before I came here. It has decreased since I've been (here) it has lessened dramatically."

2. Swallowing: "The swallowing and drooling and all of that were kind of combined together but I don't have any trouble swallowing right now."

3. Depression: Since beginning the course of medication, "D" reports "I haven't experienced any depression."

4. Speech: "D" reports improvement in his speech, diction, and tongue control.

5. Facial Activity: Experienced increased facial activity, and reports that his muscles are "coming alive." Prior to the treatment, "D" reports he had an "immobile face, it was a rock" but reports "I don't think it is like that today". "The first thing I noticed was the fact that my muscles in the surface of my face were regaining sensitivity. I woke up one morning and I was smiling, which I really hadn't done (before). There's more emotion in my face. I can feel my forehead crinkle, my eyelids raised. I wasn't doing that before. I can smile on demand."

6. Hand Movements: "One of the first things that I recognized is, after starting the treatment, was that my right hand started to come alive slowly it' s been regaining its use. I can hold the pen differently."

7. Handwriting: "My handwriting has gone from when I first came here; it was very small and tight, and difficult to write words out, to a much bigger, expansive, free flowing handwriting. I can maintain a consistent height now and I can stay in a straight line."

8. Motor Skills: "I'd lost my fine motor skill. I couldn't turn a screwdriver and I can begin to do that now. It's coming back now. It's not a hundred percent now, but it's 30% or 40% better now." Dressing: "I buttoned this shirt myself today, and a month ago, it would have been a very difficult task, to grab hold of that button and push it through the hole. So my dexterity with my fingers, the use of my fingers, has greatly improved." Eating Skills: "Before I got here, I wasn't using a knife very well with my right hand for cutting. My wife would cut my food up, and I find that now, I just am naturally eating like I did before. I'm cutting my own food, so I don't need the assistance I did before. I hold the fork differently now. I can use a fork now, turn it, and put it in my mouth, where I couldn't do that easily before. There's a big improvement about how I can use utensils to eat. "It not 100%, but it's much better than before I got here."

Balance: "I actually had an epiphany the other day where I was standing up, talking with people, and I realized that I hadn't stood up like that in many years. Standing up had to do with sort of regaining a sense of balance that I'd lost three years ago. It is all sort of dramatic for me, the improvement. I felt like I could fall before, but my sense of balance is much increased. I don't feel as if I'm falling." Walking: "I can walk up and down stairs. I do it here much faster than I was able to do it before I got here. Even a walk across the street from where I'm living to this clinic was a difficult task when I first got here."

Cognition: " I am continually feeling a renewed clarity in my non-verbal thinking processes, and have a renewed confidence now to engage in conversations with others, a social skill that had been deteriorating long before I began the study. This renewed sense of my personality, by itself, is a remarkable effect that I can only attribute to the treatment, such a tremendously empowering feeling to re- experience the strength and depth of my thoughts, and to regain the ability to socialize in regular conversation with another human again. I'm aware that I'm feeling much closer to being the man with a mind and sense of humor that I was before the onset of my PD."

Temporary Paralysis: "I'm pleased to report that I've just realized that I'm no longer experiencing the freezing or being stuck in one position sensations that were one of the first signs of PD that I felt before I was aware that I had PD.

Finding oneself being stuck in a position and momentarily unable to move is a common symptom of PD. I'm no longer feeling stuck in a position, both standing and sitting, for no reason. My upper body / chest / shoulder / arm muscles continue to regain more movement and extension, like being able to turn or twist to one side and reach beyond / behind where I can see to pick up some item I'm wanting to get with my hand."

The present invention has proven beneficial for numerous patients. A selection of comments regarding their experience with the present invention is subsequently provided.

"The improvements, if I can say, are 'mind blowing'. I've been blessed to come here. At this stage of Parkinson's, I was uncertain about what was going to happen to me. And researching different treatments and different modalities, and different opportunities, there are no opportunities. There's nothing available. I'm old enough, and have been around long enough I guess, and at 71 I'm ready to try anything. The experience has been extremely impressive to me. I feel a tremendous sense of....there's progress to be made. I don't know what it is exactly. It's a sense that I can get back into my body again."

"I read in a New Yorker this last year a story written about Parkinson's. If you want to put it into a saying, he said that "He'd lost his edge in life" and that's how I felt. I understood that. It's difficult to explain what Parkinson's is, but you lose your 'edge' . And I find my edge back in a few areas."

"This has been a very rewarding experience for me. I'm anxious to see what happens next. It' s been a month-long study and I can say that it has tremendously benefited me. I'd like to see the availability of this product for my use in the United States."

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred

embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.