Menthol for Improving Movement and Sleep in Parkinson's Disease Patients

NCT ID: NCT07294469

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 80 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-12-15
• Study Completion Date: 2027-07-31

Brief Summary

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by both motor and non-motor symptoms due to the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons. There is currently no cure. Menthol, a natural compound that activates TRPM8 receptors, has shown neuroprotective and motor function benefits in preclinical PD models. In mice, distal limb immersion in menthol improved dopamine neuron survival and motor performance. Similar menthol-based interventions improved outcomes in a stroke model and a clinical trial with stroke patients. This study investigates whether topical menthol can offer therapeutic benefits for individuals with PD.

Detailed Description

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects both motor and non-motor functions, with symptoms that can vary widely in severity. It is caused by the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, a brain region essential for movement control. The characteristic motor symptoms of PD include tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. In addition to these motor impairments, many individuals with PD also experience non-motor symptoms, such as sleep disturbances, which can significantly impact their quality of life. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for PD.

Menthol, a naturally occurring compound found in peppermint essential oil, has been shown to activate TRPM8 receptors in somatosensory neurons. Pharmacological activation of peripheral TRPM8 receptors enhances neural activity, which is subsequently transmitted to the brain.

In previous preclinical studies, the investigators used a dopamine toxin-induced PD mouse model and treated the mice with distal limb immersion in menthol. The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that limb immersion in menthol reduced the loss of dopamine neurons and increased the dopamine content in the mouse striatum. The mice's motor function also improved, as indicated by a significant increase in the time they spent running on the rotarod. The investigators also evaluated the effects of menthol in a stroke mouse model induced by MCAO. Topical application of menthol to the paw alleviated acute cerebral infarction and ischemia-induced sensorimotor deficits in MCAO mice.

In our recent clinical trial, the investigators evaluated the effects of menthol-containing gloves and socks in acute ischemic stroke patients. After four weeks of treatment, patients showed improvements in their Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel Index (BI) scores, suggesting that this intervention may help enhance functional recovery. Based on these promising results, the investigators hypothesize that a similar approach could benefit individuals with PD.

The investigators aim to conduct a double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of menthol-containing gloves and socks in treating motor deficits and sleep disorders in patients with PD：A total of 80 patients with PD will be randomized into the following groups: (1) menthol-containing gloves and socks (2) placebo. The treatment duration will be 4 weeks, with 4 weeks follow-up. All patients will be clinically assessed at the randomization, 4 and 8 week. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) I,II,III, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale-2 (PDSS-2), Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and detailed neurological examination will be included in the assessment.

Conditions

Parkinson's Disease

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: QUADRUPLE

Study Groups

Menthol Group

Participants in this arm will wear gloves and socks containing menthol daily for four weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Menthol gloves and socks

Intervention Type: DRUG

Participants will wear menthol-containing gloves and socks for five minutes per day, five days a week, over a four-week period.

Placebo Group

Participants in this arm will wear placebo gloves and socks daily for four weeks. These are identical in appearance and material to those used in the treatment group but contain no active menthol compound.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo gloves and socks

Intervention Type: DRUG

Participants will wear gloves and socks with plain lotion for five minutes per day, five days a week, over a four-week period.

Interventions

Menthol gloves and socks

Participants will wear menthol-containing gloves and socks for five minutes per day, five days a week, over a four-week period.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Placebo gloves and socks

Participants will wear gloves and socks with plain lotion for five minutes per day, five days a week, over a four-week period.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. aged between 30 and 80 years (inclusive);

2. diagnosed with idiopathic PD based on the Brain Bank criteria of the UK Parkinson's Disease Society less than 3 years;

3. Hoehn and Yahr stages 1-3 and currently receiving treatment; experiencing sleep disorders with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) > 5;

4. has signed the informed consent form approved by the Institutional Review Board and dated accordingly;

5. no changes in PD medications within four weeks prior to participating in this trial, and no dosage changes during the study period;

6. able to use other medications that may affect sleep, except those explicitly prohibited, provided the dosage has been stable for the four weeks before screening and remains unchanged during the study.

Exclusion Criteria

1. menthol allergy;

2. pregnant and breastfeeding women;

3. diagnosed with secondary and atypical PD;

4. patients with conditions such as uremia, cirrhosis, congestive heart failure with pulmonary edema, coagulation disorders, epilepsy, alcoholism, drug abuse, or

5. deemed unsuitable for participation in this study by the principal investigator.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 30 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 80 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

China Medical University, Taiwan

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Taipei Medical University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Yi-Hung Chen, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

International Master Program in Integrative Health, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University

Locations

Taipei Medical University Hospital

Taipei, , Taiwan

Countries

Taiwan

Central Contacts

Hsun-Hua Lee, MD-PhD

Role: CONTACT

kaorulei@yahoo.com.tw

(886)02-27372181

Facility Contacts

Hsun-Hua Lee, MD-PhD

Role: primary

kaorulei@yahoo.com.tw

(886)02-27372181

References

Huang SS, Su HH, Chien SY, Chung HY, Luo ST, Chu YT, Wang YH, MacDonald IJ, Lee HH, Chen YH. Activation of peripheral TRPM8 mitigates ischemic stroke by topically applied menthol. J Neuroinflammation. 2022 Jul 27;19(1):192. doi: 10.1186/s12974-022-02553-4.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 35897101 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

N202505079

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id