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All content in this area was uploaded by Helio A G Teive on Jan 11, 2016
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Content uploaded by Helio A G Teive
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Helio A G Teive on Jan 11, 2016
Content may be subject to copyright.
Available via license: CC BY-NC 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
133
IMAGES IN NEUROLOGY
Darkening of white hair in Parkinson`s disease
during use of levodopa rich Mucuna pruriens
extract powder
Escurecimento do cabelo branco na doença de Parkinson durante tratamento com extrato
em pó de Mucuna pruriens rico em levodopa
Renato P Munhoz
1
, Hélio A G Teive
2
An 85-year-old patient with stable Parkinson’s disease
(PD), treated with levodopa/carbidopa 250/25 mg tid. During
a follow-up visit, it was noticed that her temporal white hair
was getting progressively darker (Figure), starting after intro-
duction of Mucuna pruriens extract (MPE) at a dose equiva-
lent to 1000 mg of levodopa/day. Hair and beard darkening
was recognized as a complication of treatment with levodopa
in PD since its earliest introduction.
1
DOPA/dopamine are in-
termediate metabolites in the production of melanin, there-
fore, this association is not surprising. After the addition of
decarboxylase inhibitors, this phenomenon, probably related
to peripheral eects of levodopa, became strikingly rare.
1
MD MSc at State of Paraná Parkinson Association, Curitiba PR, Brazil;
2
MD PhD at Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba PR, Brazil.
Correspondence: Renato Puppi Munhoz; Travessa Lange 225; 80240-170 Curitiba PR – Brazil; E-mail: renatopuppi@yahoo.com
Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest to declare.
Received: 12 September 2012; Received in final form: 20 September 2012; Accepted: 27 September 2012
Figure. (A) The patient at the age of 62 year; (B) Showing hair
darkening after use of Macuna Pruriens extract powder.
1. Reynolds NJ, Crossley J, Ferguson I, Peachey RD. Darkening of white hair in Parkinson’s disease. Clin Exp Dermatol 1989;14:317-318.
References
133
IMAGES IN NEUROLOGY
A B