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[3] [4] In some plant families (of the order Caryophyllales), l-DOPA is the central precursor of a biosynthetic pathway that produces a class of pigments called betalains. [5] l-DOPA can be manufactured and in its pure form is sold as a drug with the INN Tooltip International Nonproprietary Name levodopa. Trade names include Sinemet, Pharmacopa ...
Levodopa crosses the protective blood–brain barrier, whereas dopamine itself cannot. [3] [4] Thus, levodopa is used to increase dopamine concentrations in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, Parkinsonism, dopamine-responsive dystonia and Parkinson-plus syndrome. The therapeutic efficacy is different for different kinds of symptoms.
The synthesis of dopamine consists of three stages. The synthesis process starts with an amino acid, called L-tyrosine. In the second stage L-DOPA (levodopa) is formed by adding a phenol group to the benzene ring of L-tyrosine. The formation of L-DOPA from L-tyrosine is catalyzed by the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase.
Carbidopa/levodopa and levodopa/benserazide are used to increase brain dopamine levels in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. [3] Carbidopa/oxitriptan (EVX-101), which increases brain serotonin levels, is under development as an antidepressant for possible use in the treatment of depression. [4] [5]
Blood alcohol content (BAC), also called blood alcohol concentration or blood alcohol level, is a measurement of alcohol intoxication used for legal or medical purposes. [1] BAC is expressed as mass of alcohol per volume of blood. In US and many international publications, BAC levels are written as a percentage such as 0.08%, i.e. there is 0.8 ...
Binge drinking is defined as the amount of alcohol it takes to raise a person’s blood-alcohol concentration level to 0.08, the legal definition of being intoxicated in most states.
Levodopa, a precursor of catecholamines, is an important substrate of COMT. COMT inhibitors, like entacapone, save levodopa from COMT and prolong the action of levodopa. [11] Entacapone is a widely used adjunct drug of levodopa therapy. When given with an inhibitor of dopa decarboxylase (carbidopa or benserazide), levodopa is optimally saved.
Today, the most commonly used drug to combat this disease is levodopa or L-DOPA. This precursor to dopamine can penetrate through the blood–brain barrier, whereas the neurotransmitter dopamine cannot. There has been extensive research to determine whether L-dopa is a better treatment for Parkinson's disease rather than other dopamine agonists.