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