A pilot trial of high-dose alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate in early Parkinson's disease.

High dosages of a combination of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate were administered to patients with early Parkinson's disease as an open-labeled trial and pilot study to test the endogenous toxic hypothesis of the etiology of Parkinson's disease. Patients receiving concomitant amantadine and anticholinergics were allowed to participate, but those receiving levodopa or dopamine agonists were not. The study was begun prior to the availability of deprenyl. The primary end point of the trial was progression of the disease until patients needed treatment with levodopa or a dopamine agonist. The time when levodopa became necessary in the treated patients was compared to another group of patients followed elsewhere who did not receive antioxidants. The time when levodopa became necessary was extended by 2.5 years in the group receiving alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate. Results of this pilot study suggest that the progression of Parkinson's disease may be slowed by administration of these antioxidants. Controlled clinical trials using double-blind randomization techniques are required to confirm these results.