1- Introduction
2- The Pathogenesis of Oxidative Stress in PD
3- Vitamin B and PD
4- Vitamin C and PD
5- Vitamin E and PD
6- Vitamin D and PD
7- Conclusion
References
Introduction
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder following Alzheimer’s disease. Clinically, PD is characterized by resting tremor, hypermyotonia, postural instability, and bradykinesia [1]. Additionally, patients with PD can also manifest with nonmotor symptoms, such as cognitive decline, olfactory dysfunction, constipation, sleep disorders, and autonomic symptoms [2], and these nonmotor symptoms usually occur prior to the onset of motor symptoms [3]. PD severely affects the quality of life of the individual with the disease and also creates a great burden on the caregivers. The typical pathological hallmark of PD is degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and eosinophilic inclusion bodies (Lewy bodies) in the remaining neurons, which is the major contributor to the deficiency of dopamine in the basal ganglia [4, 5]. The exact pathogenetic mechanisms of PD is not yet fully understood. Current theories regard PD as a multifactorial disease, involving various genetic and environmental factors, among which mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of PD [6, 7]. The treatment for PD is challenging, and the existing therapeutic strategies can only relieve clinical symptoms but fail to control the progression of PD. Vitamins are natural bioactive products with antioxidant properties, which are necessities for maintaining the normal functions of human organisms. Essential vitamins cannot be endogenously synthesized in the organism and therefore must be obtained through the diet. Clinically, vitamin deficiency is quite common, especially in infants and elderly. Vitamins are generally divided into fat-soluble variants (vitamins A, D, E, and K) and water-soluble variants (vitamins B and C). The former mainly bind to cellular nuclear receptors and affect the expression of specific genes [8].