Urate and Parkinson’s Disease: A Novel Biomarker with Potential Prognostic and Therapeutic Values

Abstract

Urate is a potent antioxidant that effectively scavenges reactive nitrogen and oxygen radicals,¹ and therefore, has been thought to have a favorable role in pathogenesis of  Parkinson’s disease (PD). Experimental studies showed that urate reduced oxidative stress primarily through its actions as an effective scavenger of peroxynitrite (ONOO^-) and hydroxyl radicals.^{1, 2} Urate completely prevented the death of the dopaminergic cells in culture induced by homocysteine plus rotenone or by homocysteine plus iron.³ To test the hypothesis that urate is neuroprotective for PD, several epidemiologic studies have been conducted. 

[N A J Med Sci. 2009;2(2):39-40.]