Levodopa is a prodrug of dopamine that is administered to patients with Parkinson's due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier[Label]. Levodopa can be metabolised to dopamine on either side of the blood-brain barrier and so it is generally administered with a dopa decarboxylase inhibitor like carbidopa to prevent metabolism until after it has crossed the blood-brain barrier[Label,A177781]. Once past the blood-brain barrier, levodopa is metabolized to dopamine and supplements the low endogenous levels of dopamine to treat symptoms of Parkinson's[Label]. The first developed drug product that was approved by the FDA was a levodopa and carbidopa combined product called Sinemet that was approved on May 2, 1975[A177781,L6133].
Synonyms
Dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine
L-DOPA
L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine
Levodopa
(−)-dopa
3,4-Dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine
β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)alanine
L-beta-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)alanine
Levodopum
(−)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine
β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine
3-Hydroxy-L-tyrosine
Brand Names
Duodopa
Rytary
Apo-levocarb-tab 25mg/100mg
Inbrija
Prolopa Cap 200-50
Carbidopa and Levodopa
Sinemet
Nu-levocarb - Tab 10mg/100mg
Dhivy
Sinemet CR
Carbidopa, levodopa and entacapone
Nu-levocarb - Tablets 25 Mg/250 mg
Auro-levocarb
Aa-levocarb CR
Carbidopa-levodopa
Dom-levo-carbidopa
Prolopa Cap 50-12.5
Pro-lecarb-100/10 - Tab
Sinemet CR 200/50
Levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone Orion
Sinemet 100/10
Numient
Ratio-levodopa/carbidopa
Duopa
Stalevo
Levodopa, Carbidopa and Entacapone Tablets
Carbidopa and levodopa
Carbidopa, Levodopa, and Entacapone
Sandoz Levodopa-carbidopa-entacapone
Nu-levocarb - Tab 25 Mg/100 mg
Prolopa Cap 100-25
Sinemet CR 100/25
Teva-levocarbidopa
Levodopa-carbidopa CR
Pro-levocarb - 100/25
Corbilta
Parcopa
Mint-levocarb
Carbidopa, Levodopa and Entacapone
Apo-levocarb - Tab 10mg/100mg
Apo-levocarb - Tab 25mg/250mg
Pro-lecarb-100/25 - Tab
Indication
Levodopa on its own is formulated as an oral inhalation powder indicated for intermittent treatment of off episodes in Parkinson's patients who are already being treated with carbidopa and levodopa[FDA Label]. Levodopa is most commonly formulated as an oral tablet with a peripheral dopa decarboxylase inhibitor indicated for treatment of Parkinson's disease, post-encephalitic parkinsonism, and symptomatic parkinsonism following carbon monoxide intoxication or manganese intoxication[F4579].
Categories
Amines
Amino Acids
Amino Acids, Aromatic
Amino Acids, Cyclic
Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins
Anti-Dyskinesia Agents
Anti-Parkinson Agents (Dopamine Agonist)
Anti-Parkinson Drugs
Benzene Derivatives
Biogenic Amines
Biogenic Monoamines
Catecholamines
Catechols
Central Nervous System Agents
Central Nervous System Depressants
Dihydroxyphenylalanine
Dopa and Dopa Derivatives
Dopamine Agents
Hypotensive Agents
Levodopa, antagonists & inhibitors
Nervous System
Neurotransmitter Agents
Phenols
Serotonergic Drugs Shown to Increase Risk of Serotonin Syndrome
Drug Info/Drug Targets: DrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugs. Knox C, Law V, Jewison
T, Liu P, Ly S, Frolkis A, Pon A, Banco K, Mak C, Neveu V, Djoumbou Y, Eisner R, Guo AC, Wishart DS.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jan; 39 (Database issue):D1035-41. | PMID:21059682
