Levodopa (L-DOPA)

It is a prodrug of dopamine that is given to Parkinson’s patients because of its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. It works best in controlling the bradykinetic symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, the drug can treat postencephalitic and symptomatic parkinsonism caused by carbon monoxide overdose. Two frequent off-label applications of levodopa (PLMS) are for restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement in sleep. For people with intermittent restless leg syndrome who don’t require routine daily therapy, levodopa has been recommended as a viable treatment choice. Degeneration of the substantia nigra, which disrupts the nigrostriatal pathway and lowers striatal dopamine levels, is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. In contrast to dopamine, levodopa can pass across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Both the CNS and the periphery convert levodopa to dopamine. Levodopa is frequently taken with peripheral decarboxylase inhibitors (such as carbidopa and...