"There is no cure for Parkinson`s disease, so the possibility that ibuprofen, an existing and relatively non-toxic drug, could help protect against the disease is captivating," said senior author Alberto Ascherio of the Harvard School of Public Health.
Parkinson`s is a neurological disease that attacks the central nervous system and causes tremors and motor difficulty, mainly in people over 50, though it can strike younger people.
US-Canadian actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson`s when he was 30.
Scientists found an even greater effect when they compared ibuprofen -- commonly found in the over the counter pain relievers Advil, Motrin and Nuprin -- to aspirin, acetaminophen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
"We observed that men and women who used ibuprofen two or more times per week were about 38 percent less likely to develop Parkinson`s disease than those who regularly used aspirin, acetaminophen, or other NSAIDs," said lead author Xiang Gao, also of Harvard.
"Our findings suggest that ibuprofen could be a potential neuroprotective agent against Parkinson`s disease, however, the exact mechanism is unknown."
The study appears in the journal Neurology.
(Uu.E012/H-AK)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
