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