Contrary to earlier discovery that a chemical found in a synthetic opioid MPTP induced a form of Parkinson's disease a new study has found that it is an enzyme in the body that can metabolise compounds formed in the brain from alkaloids causing a neurodegenerative condition in mice. The study led by Narayan Avadhani and Mrittika Chattopadhyay suggested that the enzyme mitochondrial CYP2D6 presents a potentially powerful new target for Parkinson's treatment. Over the past two or three decades researchers have tried inhibiting the process by they believed MPTP was metabolised with mixed success said Avadhani. We believe that mitochondrial