See the mechanism of action of Carbidopa and Levodopa for Parkinson’s Disease
Patients with parkinson’s disease experience a decrease in the control of muscle movement let’s see the neurological component of this disease and what we can do about it the firing of a nerve is mediated through several receptors and neurotransmitters this is the neurotransmitter dopamine when dopamine binds to the receptor it allows the signal to be relayed from
The previous nerve to the next nerve patients with parkinson’s disease have a decreased amount of dopamine with less dopamine available the electrical signal doesn’t transmit properly with depleted dopamine causing decreased electrical conduction muscle movement is erratic this drug is a combination of carbidopa and levodopa let’s take a look at what levodopa
Does we’ll remove the outer part of the neuron to take a better look inside this is dopamine decarboxylase this enzyme converts levodopa to dopamine this newly formed dopamine can now enter the vesicle to be released into the synapse with more dopamine available to bind to the receptor the electrical signal transmission is stabilized let’s take a look at what
Carbidopa does this is the drug levodopa by itself dopamine decarboxylase is also found in the gut and in the bloodstream so we will convert levodopa to dopamine before it reaches the nervous system dopamine cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier and will not reach the neuron also in the gut dopamine can cause severe nausea and vomiting this is the drug
Combination of carbidopa and levodopa carbidopa is a dopamine decarboxylase inhibitor that does not cross over to the nervous system carbidopa will bind to dopamine decarboxylase and stop it from converting levodopa to dopamine this allows levodopa to remain unconverted so we can continue until it reaches the nervous system dopamine decarboxylase can be found
Throughout the body so carbidopa can work in the bloodstream as well with more dopamine available and not broken down too early the electrical signal transmits throughout the body and muscle movement is normalized
Transcribed from video
Carbidopa and Levodopa for Parkinson's Disease By Drugs in Motion
