Deprenyl: The Anti-Aging Drug Paperback – January 1, 1993

Deprenyl: The Anti-Aging Drug by Alastair Dow explores the discovery and development of Deprenyl (also known as Selegiline), a drug recognized for its anti-aging and neuroprotective properties. The book highlights its potential to extend life, enhance mental function, and treat conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. It also details the challenges faced in gaining FDA approval for its use.Deprenyl is described as a groundbreaking preventive medicine that safely improves mood, libido, and cognitive abilities while possibly delaying age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The book emphasizes its role as a selective MAO-B inhibitor, which increases dopamine and phenylethylamine levels in the brain, counteracting aging-related biochemical changes. This work is significant for those interested in gerontology, neuropsychopharmacology, and life extension therapies.

Very informative and also helps explain why so many useful things never make it through the FDA.

This is mostly a group of stories about people who took this drug. Not much useful clinical information about the drug itself. For a patient, this book is fine. For a doctor, you won't learn much. No complaints about the seller.

This is the story of the miracle medicine deprenyl (eldepryl), an inhibitor of the enzyme Monoamine Oxidase B. The book recounts how it was developed, the people that developed it and popularised it, the amazing benefits it provides to sufferers of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, its preventive action against these, and its by now unquestioned role in extending lifespan.In the Foreword, Saul Kent of the Life Extension Foundation takes a look at studies that confirm and extend the evidence of deprenyl's remarkable life extension benefits. He discusses its role in Alzheimer's disease, its mechanism of action, safety, boosting of anti-oxidant enzyme activity and how it extends lifespan.The main body of the book tells the tale of Selegiline, Deprenyl or Eldepryl. It starts in the USA where instances are provided of how this medicine miraculously improved the lives of sufferers from Parkinson's disease.Deprenyl is part of a group called the MAO Inhibitors. The first of these was Iproniazid, originally developed to treat tuberculosis, when it was discovered that it lifted the mood of sufferers from this disease. As a result, the MAO Inhibitors were used to treat depression, but they had severe side effects because of an interaction with certain foods like cheese.In Budapest, Professor Joseph Knoll and Elizabeth Miller designed the molecule in 1961. Knoll kept it alive for 15 years until it went on sale in Hungary in 1978 as a treatment for Parkinson's. In 1971 Knoll argued that deprenyl does not have the side effects of the other MAOI's because it is a selective inhibitor of MAO. The article that finally opened the door to the worldwide use of deprenyl appeared in The Lancet in 1971.A large part of the story is dedicated to the history of the trials and tribulations of getting deprenyl approved by the FDA for sale in the USA. This finally happened in June 1989 and only for Parkinson's.The body's own most potent three internal free-radical scavengers are Glutathione Peroxidase, Superoxide Dismutase and Catalase. Subsequent studies have revealed that in addition to inhibiting Monoamine Oxidase B, deprenyl also strongly boosts the production of the anti-oxidant Superoxide Dismutase, and to a lesser extent, Catalase. In the foreword, Kent discusses the findings of several studies of this beneficial effect of deprenyl.Appendix A is Case Studies by Dr Ronald Klatz of the American Longevity Research Institute. Appendix B consists of five abstracts: 3 Life Extension Studies by Dr Knoll, Dr Milgram and Dr Kitani, Deprenyl's Effect on Superoxide Dismutase and Catalase by Dr Kitani, and The Rescue Of Dying Neurons by Dr Tatton. Appendix C provides information on Alastair Dow, Dr Ronald M Klatz and Saul Kent.The interested reader may also find Life Extension Magazine of value, plus the books The New-Anti Aging Revolution: Stopping The Clock by the aforementioned Dr Ronald Klatz, and Mind Boosters by Dr Ray Sahelian.

Amazing stuff!

My father published this book and I just gave away a first edition. Who knew it has lasted this long on the Internet!

What I have to say is that on September 20, 2014 i began taking selegiline for a starting Parkinson's my Neurologist diagnosed. In a few days I started to notice changes: a) The first thing was I have more drive to do the personal care duties like taking a bath, washing my teeth, etc. b) I was able to focus on intellectual tasks I had not being able to pursue for several years. c) The slight tremors I had on my head and hands diminished. e) My gait improved.This was the book that moved me to ask my doctor about selegiline.This is not a book for doctors, but I bet that no many doctors know about it. Just learning about its effects, uses and history is good for them and their patients. Then search the scientific literature if you wish.If you want something directed to doctors, researchers, and medical students, please see:How Selegiline ((-)-Deprenyl) Slows Brain AgingAlso, remember that the human body is complex, and different approaches can complement one another. There are some issues in our mouths that can conduce our bodies to different degenerative diseases, Parkinson's among them. They can be treated. If you want to learn something about this, please see:Your Mouth is Key to Your Health: Focus on Your Teeth to Prevent, Cure or Alleviate Arthritis, Cancer, Cardiovascular, and other Chronic, Autoimmune, or Degenerative Diseases.

My father has Parkinson's disease. This book gave me a lot of useful information about Deprenyl's progress through the years. It is written in an interesting format that draws your interest. I could relate to the book with symptoms and progression. It outlines the history-who and why-of Deprenyl and is detailed with case studies and testimonials. It even makes me think that I may explore taking Deprenyl myself when I am older for prevention of degenerative progress of aging. Read the book cover to cover--if you skip around many of the ironic and interesting details will be lost.