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