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