Mechanism Underlying the Effectiveness of Deferiprone in Alleviating Parkinson's Disease Symptoms

Elevation in iron content as well as severe depletion of dopamine (DA) as a result of iron-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons has been recognized to accompany the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). To better understand the mechanism of the mitigating effect of the iron chelator deferiprone (DFP) on PD, the interplay between iron and DFP was investigated both in the absence and presence of DA. The results show that DFP was extremely efficient in scavenging both aqueous iron and iron that was loosely bound to DA with the entrapment of iron in Fe-DFP complexed form critical to halting the iron catalyzed degradation of DA and associated generation of toxic metabolites. The DFP related scavenging of dopamine semiquinone (DA^•-) and superoxide (O₂^•-) may also contribute to its positive effects in the treatment of PD.