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Potentiation of levodopa stimulation of human growth hormone by systemic decarboxylase inhibition
Author(s) -
Mars Harold,
Genuth Saul M.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt1973143390
Subject(s) - homovanillic acid , levodopa , endocrinology , medicine , stimulation , long term potentiation , aromatic l amino acid decarboxylase , decarboxylase inhibitor , growth hormone , hormone , chemistry , pharmacology , dopamine , parkinson's disease , serotonin , receptor , disease
Plasma levodopa, homovanillic acid (HVA), and human growth hormone (HGH) were monitored in 10 normal subiects over 4 hours following an oral dose of 250 mg levodopa alone, and following pretreatment with the systemic dopa decarboxylase inhibitor MK‐486. The addition of the MK‐486 resulted in a fivefold potentiation of plasma levodopa (p < 0.001), a 65% reduction in HVA (p < 0.001), and a twofold increase in HGH (p < 0.05). An analysis of the individual curves suggests that a minimallevodopa level of 400 ng per milliliter plasma is necessary to evoke an unequivocal HGH response in healthy individuals.