Researchers have found that an anti-inflammatory drug can lower motor function loss in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease occurs when the part of the brain that controls movement stops functioning normally. Symptoms of the disease include trembling hands or legs, stiffness, poor balance and lack of co-ordination. There is no cure for the disease.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, shows that a drug called XPro1595 can be used as a sub-cutanwous injection to help treat some of the symptoms of PD.

Earlier research had shown that to be effective, the drug would have to be injected directly to the brain.

"This is an important step forward for anti-inflammatory therapies for Parkinson's disease," said Malu Tansey, PhD, at Emory University School of Medicine. "Our results provide a compelling rationale for moving toward a clinical trial in early Parkinson's disease patients."

The motor disorders seen in Parkinson's disease patients are a result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, says National Institute Of Neurological Disorder and Stroke.

According to researchers, animals that were given XPro1595 three days after 6-OHDA injection lost just 15 percent of the dopamine-producing neurons. Rats that didn't get the test drug lost as much as 55 percent of the same neurons. Reducing dopamine neuron loss led to reduction in loss of motor impairment.

Researchers also found that there is a certain time frame where XPro1595 is most effective. Their study showed that when XPro1595 was given two weeks after injection, 44 percent of dopamine neurons were still lost.

"Recent clinical studies indicates there is a four or five year window between diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and the time when the maximum number of vulnerable neurons are lost," Dr. Tansey said in a news release. "If this is true, and if inflammation is playing a key role during this window, then we might be able to slow or halt the progression of Parkinson's with a treatment like XPro1595."

The study is published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.