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The clinical relevance of levodopa toxicity in the treatment of Parkinson's disease
Author(s) -
Schapira Anthony H.V.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.22146
Subject(s) - levodopa , parkinson's disease , substantia nigra , dopaminergic , medicine , disease , toxicity , degenerative disease , drug , dopamine , pharmacology
Levodopa is the ‘gold standard’ drug for the treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). For many years there has been concern regarding its potential to be toxic to the dopaminergic cells of the substantia nigra. Much of the evidence to support this is derived from in vitro studies and there are significant limitations in extrapolating these data to the clinic. Indeed, there is no evidence to indicate that levodopa is toxic to PD patients, and even some suggestion that it may be protective. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society