Levodopa and Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds in Parkinson's Disease: Mechanisms, Efficacy, and Future Perspectives
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, resulting in dopamine deficiency and motor dysfunction. While levodopa (L-DOPA) remains the gold standard for symptomatic treatment, its long-term administration is associated with complications such as motor fluctuations, dyskinesia, and oxidative stress. Given these limitations, interest has grown in plant-derived bioactive compounds for their potential neuroprotective and disease-modifying effects.
METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, focusing on peer-reviewed studies published between 2023 and March 2025. The inclusion criteria targeted in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies as well as clinical trials that directly compared levodopa with plant-derived compounds in the context of PD. Key search terms included "Parkinson's disease," "levodopa," "phytochemicals," and "plant-based neuroprotection".
RESULTS: Recent studies have highlighted several classes of plant-based compounds-including polyphenols (resveratrol, curcumin, EGCG), flavonoids (quercetin, apigenin, naringenin), alkaloids (berberine, caffeine, L-DOPA derived from Mucuna pruriens), and terpenoids (ginkgolide B, celastrol)-as potential neuroprotective agents. These compounds exert multiple actions, such as reducing oxidative stress, blocking neuroinflammation, preventing…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Quercetin Influences Quorum Sensing in Food Borne Bacteria: In-Vitro and In-Silico Evidence
- Phenolic-protein interactions: insight from in-silico analyses – a review
- In Silico Discovery of Candidate Drugs against Covid-19
- Neuropharmacological Effects of Quercetin: A Literature-Based Review
- In vitro and in silico anti-dengue activity of compounds obtained from Psidium guajava through bioprospecting
- Effect of Quercetin Rich Onion Extracts on Bacterial Quorum Sensing
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.