Perspective on Cav-1 for its Potential as Newer Therapeutics for Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease affecting around 10 million people worldwide. Dopamine agonists that mimic the action of natural dopamine in the brain are the prominent drugs used in the management of PD symptoms. However, the therapy is limited to symptomatic relief with serious side effects. Phytocompounds have become the preferable targets of research in the quest for new pharmaceutical compounds. In addition, current research is directed towards determining a newer specific target for the better treatment and management of PD. Cav-1, a membrane protein present on the caveolae of the plasma membrane, acts as a transporter for lipid molecules in the cells. Cav-1 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease (AD), PD, etc. In this review, we have extensively discussed the role of Cav-1 protein in the pathogenesis of PD. In addition, molecular docking of some selective phytochemical compounds against Cav-1 protein (Q03135) was performed to understand their role. The best phytochemical compounds were screened based on their molecular interaction and binding affinity with the Cav-1 protein model.