NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
A2
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Baker City native studying plant-based treatment for Parkinson’s
Tanya Denne
analyzing healing
properties of the
plant Mucuna
By LISA BRITTON
For the Baker City Herald
BAKER CITY — Tanya
Denne, a Baker City native
who has been studying a
plant that could help com-
bat Parkinson’s disease,
will graduate in 2021 from
Bastyr University with
a degree in naturopathic
medicine.
While working on her
doctorate, she’s contin-
ued to analyze the use of
Mucuna pruriens and its
potential in treating Parkin-
son’s disease, a disorder of
the central nervous system
that affects movement.
According to Oregon
Health & Science Univer-
sity (OHSU), for unknown
reasons Parkinson’s causes
brain cells that make a
chemical called dopamine
to die. This leaves the brain
without enough dopamine
— a “neurotransmitter,”
or chemical messenger —
to signal nerves to trigger
movement.
Parkinson’s worsens over
time. There is no cure.
Drug treatments of
levodopa/cabidopa focus on
the dopamine system in the
brain. According to Denne,
Contributed Photo
Tanya Denne graduated from the University of Portland and will graduate this year from Bastyr University in Seattle with a
degree in naturopathic medicine.
research has determined
Mucuna seeds contain 3%
to 7% levodopa.
Denne’s interest in
Mucuna stems from a per-
sonal story — her grand-
mother died of Alzheimer’s
disease, and that inspired
her to study neuroscience.
After graduating from
the University of Portland,
she volunteered at OHSU in
Portland to study Mucuna
and Parkinson’s.
In early 2016, she trav-
eled to India for three
months to study Mucuna in
its native environment, and
to collect seeds to study.
That same year she
started attending Bastyr
University in Kenmore,
Washington, to pursue a
doctorate in naturopathic
medicine.
Now, near the end of her
WEDNESDAY
Times of clouds
and sun
A little morning
snow
50° 40°
47° 35°
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
A little snow in the
morning
SATURDAY
Chilly with rain
Periods of clouds
and sunshine
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
45° 34°
42° 31°
40° 32°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
51° 40°
48° 34°
47° 36°
43° 30°
43° 32°
OREGON FORECAST
ALMANAC
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yest.
HIGH
LOW
TEMP.
Seattle
Olympia
47/42
Kennewick Walla Walla
50/43
Lewiston
48/43
52/40
Astoria
50/45
41/35
45/36
Longview
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Pullman
Yakima 47/37
46/43
48/39
Portland
Hermiston
51/46
The Dalles 51/40
Salem
Corvallis
49/44
La Grande
Yesterday
Normals
Records
41/36
PRECIPITATION
John Day
Eugene
Bend
51/45
47/37
42/32
Ontario
44/30
44/30
40/23
0.09"
0.11"
0.16"
0.11"
Trace
0.16"
WINDS (in mph)
Caldwell
Burns
57°
42°
40°
27°
64° (1989) -4° (1942)
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
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Normal month to date
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Last year to date
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Albany
49/43
0.10"
0.15"
0.24"
0.15"
0.12"
0.24"
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
WALLA
WALLA,
Wash. — Washington police
arrested a Walla Walla man
just on Saturday, Jan. 2, who
is suspected of stealing from
at least 10 victims in the
area, police reported on Sun-
day, Jan. 3.
Antonio Ramon Lomeli,
22, of Walla Walla, is being
held in the Walla Walla
County Jail on $2,900 bail
under investigation for
second-degree
burglary,
fi rst-degree theft, fi rst-de-
gree stolen property pos-
session, fi ve counts of sec-
ond-degree stolen property
possession, unlawful pos-
session of another’s ID card,
traffi cking in stolen prop-
erty, violation of controlled
substance laws for metham-
phetamine and fentanyl, pos-
session of drug parapherna-
lia and third-degree driving
with a suspended license.
A Walla Walla offi cer
saw Ramon Lomeli at the
Isaacs Street Chevron at
about 12:20 a.m. on Jan. 2,
and knew the man had war-
rants for his arrest, accord-
ing to police.
When offi cers stopped
Ramon Lomeli to arrest
him for the warrants, they
noticed tools in his vehi-
through 3 p.m. yest.
HIGH
LOW
TEMP.
Pendleton 41/36
50/45
During her studies at
HERMISTON
Enterprise
50/40
48/39
53°
48°
40°
26°
69° (2012) -9° (2004)
PRECIPITATION
Moses
Lake
48/42
Aberdeen
40/35
38/33
Tacoma
Yesterday
Normals
Records
Spokane
Wenatchee
49/44
Mucuna progress
Bastyr, Denne has worked
on the Mucuna project by
fi nding a farmer in Hawaii
who could grow the seeds
she brought from India.
She’s also experimented
with seed extracts and
worked with colleagues
from Bastyr and OHSU
who have used the extracts
in animal model studies.
“It’s this really cool,
multi-faceted
project,”
Man suspected in string of thefts arrested
Forecast for Pendleton Area
TODAY
academic journey, Denne
credits fundraising events
in Baker City for support-
ing her project.
“It’s taken a whole com-
munity and over a decade,
and a huge majority of the
original funding and sup-
port started in Baker City,”
she said.
Denne said.
She said results from
the mice model showed
increased tyrosine hydrox-
ylase (TH), which suggests
a neurorestorative property
of the Mucuna extract.
Further studies are
planned, with a larger sam-
ple size.
And their research is
fueling other projects.
“Our research team is
now collaborating with a
fi eld research project in
Africa, where it is esti-
mated that only 9% of the
population has access to
conventional Parkinson’s
medication,” she said.
“We’re working with The
Parkinson’s Institute in
Italy, drafting and imple-
menting sites to grow
Mucuna as a source of
levodopa for Parkinson’s
treatment as a public health
effort.”
After graduating with
her doctorate this year,
Denne plans to complete a
residency and wants to spe-
cialize in neuro-focused
care, such as Parkinson’s
disease.
She’d like to eventually
return to practice in Baker
City.
“It really does take a vil-
lage, and I am grateful to
be from one that embodies
core values of generosity,
positive change, and com-
passion,” she said.
Boardman
Pendleton
Medford
48/39
Today
Wed.
SSE 4-8
SSE 6-12
SSW 4-8
SSE 7-14
SUN AND MOON
Klamath Falls
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
39/31
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021
7:36 a.m.
4:26 p.m.
none
11:35 a.m.
Last
New
First
Full
Jan 6
Jan 12
Jan 20
Jan 28
NATIONAL EXTREMES
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 85° in Zapata, Texas Low -9° in Angel Fire, N.M.
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
cle that matched those from
thefts reported on Friday,
Jan. 1. He was also fi ngered
as a suspect from surveil-
lance footage of a recent
burglary.
Offi cers secured a search
warrant for the vehicle and
on Jan. 3 reportedly discov-
ered inside the stolen prop-
erty from at least 10 local
victims of vehicle prowls or
burglaries.
Detectives from the street
crimes unit have reached
eight victims as of midday
Jan. 3 and were still trying
to contact others to get prop-
erty returned, according to
the release.
IN BRIEF
Union County mountain
rescue ends well
UNION COUNTY — Search and rescue
teams from Baker and Union counties on Sun-
day, Dec. 27, reunited a pair of cougar hunters
with their family.
The Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce Search
and Rescue Team reported it received a request
in the early hours of Dec. 27 to assist with the
search for overdue hunters in Union County in
the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
Friends of the hunters had been search-
ing throughout the night and located their
snowmobile on the 860 Road just north of
the 77 Road. The Baker County SAR Team
responded to the Taylor Green area off the
Forest Service 77 Road, and Union County
Search and Rescue established an emergency
operations center.
Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash and Lt.
Ryan Downing set off in a tracked all-terrain
vehicle to fi nd the missing hunters, but nei-
ther that machine nor the snowmobile could
go further due to the terrain and dense trees.
The sheriff and lieutenant then continued on
foot, following the missing pair’s tracks in the
deep snow.
Union County launched another team, and
friends of the family joined the effort using
snowmobiles.
Ash located the pair a little after 9 a.m. on
Dec. 27 in a deep canyon. They were cold and
tired but uninjured, according to reports from
the sheriff’s offi ces. The emergency opera-
tions center crew used mapping technology
to help the Union County team maneuver to
the group. The tracked ATV transported Ash,
Downing and the hunters to the staging area,
where they were reunited with relieved family
members.
Oregon health care worker
hospitalized after allergic
reaction to COVID-19 vaccine
ENTERPRISE — A health care worker
in Oregon was hospitalized after having
a severe allergic reaction to the Moderna
COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Oregon
Health Authority.
The worker, an employee at Wallowa
Memorial Hospital, experienced anaphylaxis
after receiving a fi rst dose of the vaccine last
week, offi cials said.
The health authority said vaccines for
COVID-19 can cause mild to moderate side
effects in some people. This can include pain
and swelling on the arm and sometimes fever,
chills, tiredness and headache.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention has reported that in rare cases, some
people have experienced severe allergic reac-
tions after getting a COVID-19 vaccine,”
health offi cials said in a press release. “An
allergic reaction is considered severe when a
person needs to be treated with epinephrine
or EpiPen, or if they must go to the hospital.”
Health offi cials will continue to track
adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines.
So far, 38,698 doses of the COVID-19
vaccines — 26,639 of Pfi zer-BioNTech and
12,054 of Moderna — have been adminis-
tered in Oregon since the week of Dec. 13,
offi cials said.
— EO Media Group
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