L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine; Levodopa; Sinemet, Parcopa, Atamet, Stalevo, Madopar, Prolopa, etc) is a naturally-occurring dietary supplement and psychoactive drug found in certain kinds of food and herbs (e.g. Mucuna pruriens, or velvet bean), and is synthesized from the essential amino acids L-phenylalanine (PHE) and L-tyrosine (TYR) in the mammalian body and brain. L-DOPA is the precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephri...
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L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine; Levodopa; Sinemet, Parcopa, Atamet, Stalevo, Madopar, Prolopa, etc) is a naturally-occurring dietary supplement and psychoactive drug found in certain kinds of food and herbs (e.g. Mucuna pruriens, or velvet bean), and is synthesized from the essential amino acids L-phenylalanine (PHE) and L-tyrosine (TYR) in the mammalian body and brain. L-DOPA is the precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and epinephrine (adrenaline) collectively known as catecholamines. Aside from its natural and essential biological role, L-DOPA is also used in the clinical treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) and dopamine-responsive dystonia (DRD).
L-DOPA is used to increase dopamine concentrations in the treatment of PD and DRD since it is capable of crossing the protective blood-brain barrier (BBB), whereas dopamine itself cannot. Once L-DOPA has entered the central nervous system (CNS), it is converted into dopamine by the enzyme...
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