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MORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON LIVER BIOPSIES OF PARKINSONIAN PATIENTS TREATED WITH LEVODOPA AND DECARBOXYLASE INHIBITOR
Author(s) -
Nevalainen T.,
Riekkinen P.,
Rinne U. K.,
Sonninen V.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1974.tb01352.x
Subject(s) - aromatic l amino acid decarboxylase , levodopa , decarboxylase inhibitor , enzyme , alkaline phosphatase , enzyme inhibitor , acid phosphatase , drug , pharmacology , aminopeptidase , toxicity , endocrinology , medicine , chemistry , biochemistry , leucine , parkinson's disease , disease , amino acid
The effects of combined treatment with levedopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor, Ro 4–4602 (800–1000 mg + 200–250 mg, daily respectively), on the liver of 10 parkinsonian patients were studied. Needle biopsies of the liver were performed prior to, and after half a year and one year of treatment. They were examined with light and electron microscopy and with biochemical techniques for enzymes indicating possible sub‐lethal inhibitor, Ro 4–4602 (800–1000 mg + 200–250 mg, daily respectively), on cell injury (alkaline and acid phosphatase, acid proteinase, glucose‐6‐phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, β‐glucuronidase). There were no constant histological or ultrastructural findings, or changes in the activities of analysed enzymes which could be related to the treatment with levodopa and decarboxylase inhibitor. Levodopa and Ro 4–4602 treatment seems to be a well‐tolerated and non‐toxic drug to the liver in human parkinsonian patients, at least with the dosage range used during treatment periods ranging from half a year to one year.