Tardive Dyskinesia treatment by Ray Sahelian, M.D. Tardive Dyskinesia symptom

Tardive dyskinesia is the term used for involuntary movements and is a major side effect of long-term neuroleptic drug treatment. Tardive dyskinesia is primarily associated with the older, typical antipsychotic drugs such as chlorpromazine (Largactil), and haloperidol (Haldol) which cause the so-called extrapyramidal side-effects which mimic Parkinson's disease. Newer atypical antipsychotics such as olanzapine and risperidone cause tardive dyskinesia less frequently. Oxidative stress and products of lipid peroxidation are implicated in the pathophysiology of tardive dyskinesia. Movements of a person with tardive dyskinesia are similar in appearance to those of a person with levodopa induced dyskinesias, but the causes of the two conditions are different.

Natural treatment for tardive dyskinesia
Perhaps withania somnifera, also known as ashwagandha, could be helpful. And perhaps other herbs or supplements with antioxidant potential could also be useful. You can find an Ashwagandha product here and you can sign up to a Free health newsletter sent by email once or twice a month. Human trials are not yet available to determine whether ashwagandha would be helpful in patients with tardive dyskinesia. Another plant compound found to be beneficial in rodents in reducing the damage from antipsychotic medications is rutin.

Effect of Withania somnifera root extract on reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia and cognitive dysfunction.
Phytother Res. 2006 Feb;20(2):140-6. Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India.
Vacuous chewing movements in rats are widely accepted as an animal model of tardive dyskinesia. Repeated treatment with reserpine (1.0 mg/kg) on alternate days for a period of 5 days (days 1, 3 and 5) significantly induced vacuous chewing movements and tongue protrusions in rats. Chronic treatment with Withania somnifera root extract for a period of 4 weeks to reserpine treated animals significantly and dose dependently (50 and 100 mg/kg) reduced the reserpine-induced vacuous chewing movements and tongue protrusions. Reserpine treated animals also showed poor retention of memory in the elevated plus maze task paradigm. Chronic Withania somnifera administration significantly reversed reserpine -induced retention deficits. Biochemical analysis revealed that chronic reserpine treatment significantly induced lipid peroxidation and decreased the glutathione (GSH) levels in the brains of rats. Chronic reserpine treated rats showed decreased levels of antioxidant defense enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Chronic administration of Withania somnifera root extract dose dependently (50 and 100 mg/kg) and significantly reduced the lipid peroxidation and restored the decreased glutathione levels by chronic reserpine treatment. It also significantly reversed the reserpine-induced decrease in brain SOD and catalase levels in rats. The major findings of the present study indicate that oxidative stress might play an important role in the pathophysiology of reserpine-induced abnormal oral movements. In conclusion, Withania somnifera root extract could be a useful drug for the treatment of drug-induced dyskinesia.

Tardive dyskinesia symptom
Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by repetitive, involuntary, purposeless movements including grimacing, tongue protrusion, lip smacking, puckering and pursing of the lips, and rapid eye blinking. Rapid movements of the arms, legs, and trunk may also occur. Impaired movements of the fingers may appear as though the patient is playing an invisible guitar or piano. The cause of tardive dyskinesia appears to be related to the neurotransmitter dopamine. In tardive dyskinesia, the muscles of the face are affected most often. Typically, people grimace, chew, stick their tongue out, and pucker or smack their lips.

Antipsychotic drug inducedTardive dyskinesia versus L Dopa induced dyskinesia
Long-term use of L-DOPA, as occurs in Parkinson's disease patients, results in dyskinesia. Neuroleptic induced tardive dyskinesia and L-dopa-induced dyskinesia are the two most common types of drug-induced abnormal involuntary movements. These two drug-induced movement disorders are different in regards to the causative drugs and the underlying disease, but they both are in some ways similar in terms of risk factors, mechanisms and treatment responses.
   L dopa induced dyskinesia is different from neuroleptic induced tardive dyskinesia although perhaps they may share a commonality of oxidative damage to neurons. Perhaps ashwagandha or other herbs and antioxidants may be found to be helpful in reducing the severity or in the partial prevention of both types of dyskinesias.

Tardive dyskinesia questions
Q. I live in Pakistan. I am 20 years old, Doctor prescribed me the drug Motival.I took it for 3 weeks and then discontinued it because I developed tardive dyskinesia. My eyes sometimes start to rapidly blink , I have muscle tics and twitches in my body, I have a feeling of restlessnes and my legs are restless keep shaking. Please help me sir How can I be cured.....I read on your site about ashwagandha.. Will that be helpful for me ?
   A. We don't have experience with Motival and how to treat the side effects from it. Motival contains two drugs, fluphenazine hydrochloride and nortriptyline hydrochloride. Fluphenazine hydrochloride is a phenothiazine antipsychotics, described as a major tranquilliser. Fluphenazine hydrochloride acts by blocking a variety of receptors in the brain, particularly dopamine receptors.  Nortriptyline belongs to a group of medicines known as tricyclic antidepressants. Maybe ashwagandha can help, but we have no idea. Stopping the Motival is the logical answer. We wish you optimal healing.