Relationship between 3-O-methyldopa and the clinical effects of entacapone in advanced Parkinson's disease.

List of Original Publications L-dopa

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive central nervous system (CNS) disorder, the cardinal symptoms of which are bradykinesia, resting tremor, muscular rigidity, and impaired postural balance. The lack of dopamine (DA) in the CNS basal ganglia is associated with these symptoms. L-dopa, an immediate precursor of DA, is used to treat PD. Unlike DA, L-dopa penetrates into the CNS where it is co...

Cost-utility model of rasagiline in the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease in Finland.

BACKGROUND The economic burden of Parkinson's disease (PD) is high, especially in patients experiencing motor fluctuations. Rasagiline has demonstrated efficacy against symptoms of PD in early and advanced stages of the disease. OBJECTIVE To assess the cost-utility of rasagiline and entacapone as adjunctive therapies to levodopa versus standard levodopa care in PD patients with motor fluctuat...

Effect of entacapone, a peripherally acting catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor, on the motor response to acute treatment with levodopa in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of Parkinson's disease by improving the bioavailability of levodopa and by prolonging its effects. Entacapone (OR-611), a novel COMT inhibitor, which does not cross the blood brain barrier, was assessed in 12 patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations in a randomised, double-blind, cross-over, single dos...

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor entacapone enhances the pharmacokinetic and clinical response to Sinemet CR in Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVES Entacapone is a specific, potent, peripherally acting catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor. It has been shown to improve the bioavailability of plasma levodopa and extend its clinical effect when used as an adjunct to standard levodopa preparations, but there is little experience of the effect of entacapone on controlled release levodopa preparations. METHODS A double blin...

Entacapone: adjunctive use in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.