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