Antiparkinson drug
Encyclopedia
An antiparkinson, or antiparkinsonian, is a type of drug
which is intended to treat
and relieve the symptom
s of Parkinson's disease
(PD) or Parkinsonism
. Most of these agents act by either increasing dopamine
activity or reducing acetylcholine
activity in the central nervous system
(CNS).
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
which is intended to treat
Therapy
This is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...
and relieve the symptom
Symptom
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality...
s of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
(PD) or Parkinsonism
Parkinsonism
Parkinsonism is a neurological syndrome characterized by tremor, hypokinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. The underlying causes of parkinsonism are numerous, and diagnosis can be complex...
. Most of these agents act by either increasing dopamine
Dopamine
Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...
activity or reducing acetylcholine
Acetylcholine
The chemical compound acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in both the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system in many organisms including humans...
activity in the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
(CNS).
Examples
- L-DOPA (Levodopa) & CarbidopaCarbidopaCarbidopa is a drug given to people with Parkinson's disease in order to inhibit peripheral metabolism of levodopa.- Pharmacology :...
: L-DOPA enters the brain and is converted into dopamine; Carbidopa prevents the peripheral synthesis of dopamine from L-DOPA to prevent undesirable sympathomimetic side effects. - SelegilineSelegilineSelegiline is a drug used for the treatment of early-stage Parkinson's disease, depression and senile dementia. In normal clinical doses it is a selective irreversible MAO-B inhibitor, however in larger doses it loses its specificity and also inhibits MAO-A...
, RasagilineRasagilineRasagiline is an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase used as a monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease or as an adjunct therapy in more advanced cases. It is selective for MAO type B over type A by a factor of fourteen....
: prevent the metabolism of dopamine by MAOB and hence increase its brain levels. - EntacaponeEntacaponeEntacapone is a drug that functions as a catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor. It is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease....
, TolcaponeTolcaponeTolcapone is a drug that inhibits the enzyme catechol-O-methyl transferase . - Uses :Tolcapone is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease as an adjunct to levodopa/carbidopa medication.- Chemistry :...
: prevent the metabolism of dopamine by COMTCatechol-O-methyl transferaseCatechol-O-methyltransferase is one of several enzymes that degrade catecholamines such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. In humans, catechol-O-methyltransferase protein is encoded by the COMT gene...
and hence increase its brain levels. - ApomorphineApomorphineApomorphine is a non-selective dopamine agonist which activates both D1-like and D2-like receptors, with some preference for the latter subtypes. It is historically a morphine decomposition product by boiling with concentrated acid, hence the -morphine suffix...
, BromocriptineBromocriptineBromocriptine , an ergoline derivative, is a dopamine agonist that is used in the treatment of pituitary tumors, Parkinson's disease , hyperprolactinaemia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.- Indications :Amenorrhea, female infertility, galactorrhea, hypogonadism, and acromegaly...
, PramipexolePramipexolePramipexole is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist indicated for treating early-stage Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome...
, RopiniroleRopiniroleRopinirole is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist. It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline , Cipla and Sun Pharmaceutical. It is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease...
, RotigotineRotigotineRotigotine is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome in Europe and the United States...
: dopamine receptor agonists which directly increase the activity of the dopamine system. - AnticholinergicAnticholinergicAn anticholinergic agent is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central and the peripheral nervous system. An example of an anticholinergic is dicycloverine, and the classic example is atropine....
s - Antimuscarinics (e.g., Benzatropine): to prevent hyperkinesia.