Taking two doses a week of over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen could slash the risk of Parkinson's disease by as much as 60 per cent, scientists claimed last night.
The anti-inflammatory drugs could slow the onset of the disease by reducing the swelling of the brain, say the researchers.
Around 10,000 Britons are diagnosed with Parkinson's each year. American researchers said that certain painkillers could reduce the risk of developing the debilitating condition after surveying 579 men and women, half of whom had Parkinson's.
Participants were asked about the extent to which they had taken aspirin or other common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - known as NSAIDs - at any point in their life.
This group of painkillers includes aspirin, ibuprofen and several less well-known pills such as naproxen and diclofenac. Other painkillers such as paracetamol, which are not antiinflammatories, have no effect.
The study volunteers were considered regular users of painkillers if they took two or more pills a week for at least one month.
Scientists found that these regular users of NSAIDs - not including aspirin - reduced their risk of Parkinson's by as much as 60 per cent compared with non-regular users and non-users.
The link was still in evidence up to two years after the person stopped regularly taking the drugs. The effect did not increase if the person took more than two doses a week and the drugs had no effect if the disease was already well developed.
The team also found that women - but not men - who were regular users of aspirin reduced their likelihood of developing the disease by 40 per cent.
The research is published in the journal Neurology. Author Dr Angelika Wahner, from the University of California at Los Angeles, said: "Our findings suggest NSAIDs are protective against Parkinson's disease.
"Aspirin only benefited women. It may be that men are taking lower doses for heart problems, while women may be using higher doses for arthritis or headaches."
How the drugs reduce the chances of developing Parkinson's is unknown.
Dr Beate Ritz, another member of the research team, said it could be because the death of brain cells - which causes Parkinson's - stimulates the immune system. This causes inflammation in the brain, which in turn can lead to further cell death.
Dr Kieran Breen, of the Parkinson's Disease Society, warned: "Other studies, using greater numbers of people, have investigated the potential association of taking NSAIDs and the risk of developing Parkinson's, but could not find a link."（By DANIEL MARTIN ）
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