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
β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)alanine
L-beta-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)alanine
Levodopa
L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine
β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine
(−)-dopa
L-DOPA
Dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine
3-Hydroxy-L-tyrosine
(−)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine
Levodopum
3,4-Dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine
Brand Names
Stalevo
Nu-levocarb - Tablets 25 Mg/250 mg
Apo-levocarb - Tab 10mg/100mg
Carbidopa, Levodopa and Entacapone
Ratio-levodopa/carbidopa
Levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone Orion
Pro-lecarb-100/10 - Tab
Dhivy
Parcopa
Sinemet
Duodopa
Levodopa, Carbidopa and Entacapone Tablets
Carbidopa, Levodopa, and Entacapone
Carbidopa and levodopa
Apo-levocarb - Tab 25mg/250mg
Numient
Sandoz Levodopa-carbidopa-entacapone
Inbrija
Aa-levocarb CR
Sinemet CR 200/50
Sinemet CR
Carbidopa, levodopa and entacapone
Mint-levocarb
Auro-levocarb
Prolopa Cap 50-12.5
Carbidopa and Levodopa
Pro-lecarb-100/25 - Tab
Nu-levocarb - Tab 10mg/100mg
Duopa
Levodopa-carbidopa CR
Nu-levocarb - Tab 25 Mg/100 mg
Sinemet CR 100/25
Sinemet 100/10
Rytary
Apo-levocarb-tab 25mg/100mg
Pro-levocarb - 100/25
Teva-levocarbidopa
Prolopa Cap 100-25
Dom-levo-carbidopa
Prolopa Cap 200-50
Corbilta
Carbidopa-levodopa
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
