Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, affecting approximately 6.3 million people.

At this stage, experts understand that the progression of Parkinson’s Disease is determined by genetics but also by environmental toxins, free radicals and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body.

There is currently no successful treatment that can halt the progression of Parkinson’s Disease.

In collaboration with other South African and international researchers Christopher Cupido from the Department of Botany at the University of Fort Hare in Alice, Eastern Cape is studying the possible use of one of the plants in the amaryllis family, the parasol lily, for the treatment of the disease.

This is the first study done in the world on this plant.

“Plants from this family are known for their alkaloids, which have been reported to have several beneficial biological activities including antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, analgesic anti-cancer, and neuroprotective activities. Galantamine, an alkaloid (plant-substance) taken from the amaryllis has already been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

The deciduous bulb plant, Crossyne flava, known as the Parasol Lily, grows along the West Coast of South Africa.

The scientists studying this plant have concluded after laboratory tests that alkaloids derived from this plant show a lot of promise in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease as it is a powerful antioxidant. It is already being used in traditional medicine, along with other members of the Amaryllis family to treat nervous disorders.

This, the researchers wrote in their paper, published in the journal Molecules, means that the parasol lily holds potential for the development of a new drug to prevent Parkinson’s Disease.