Levodopa

Uncommon card · No. 196951

Levodopa, also known as L-DOPA, is a dopaminergic medication which is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) and certain other conditions like dopamine-responsive dystonia and restless legs syndrome. The drug is usually used and formulated in combination with a peripherally selective aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD) inhibitor like carbidopa or benserazide. Levodopa is taken by mouth, by inhalation, through an intestinal tube, or by administration into fat (as foslevodopa). Side effects of levodopa include nausea, the wearing-off phenomenon, dopamine dysregulation syndrome, and levodopa-induced dyskinesia, among others. The drug is a centrally permeable monoamine precursor and prodrug of dopamine and hence acts as a dopamine receptor agonist. Chemically, levodopa is an amino acid, a phenethylamine, and a catecholamine. The major reason for enhanced risks for levodopa induced dyskinesia (LID) and OFF phases during late PD is the progressive dying of nigrostriatal dopaminergic...

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