Cysteine decrease following acute Levodopa intake in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

The thiol homeostasis determines the redox milieu and thus scavenging of free radicals by antioxidants like glutathione (GSH). GSH is formed out of cysteine in combination with l-glycine and glutamine acid. An up regulation of free radical occurrence is looked upon as one key feature of chronic neurodegeneration. Levodopa (LD) is under suspicion to support synthesis of free radicals via the degradation of its derivative dopamine in abundant mitochondria. Objectives were to investigate the impact of LD on free cysteine turnover in plasma. 200mg LD/50mg carbidopa (CD) were administered to 13 patients with Parkinson's disease under standardised conditions. Plasma levels of LD and free cysteine were measured before, 60- and 80-min after the LD/CD application. Cysteine concentrations decayed, expectedly LD levels increased. Cysteine decrease may result from an up regulation of GSH synthesis to encounter augmented appearance of free radicals associated with LD turnover via mitochondrial monoaminooxidase.

• Authors: Thomas Müller, Siegfried Muhlack
• Journal: Neuroscience letters (Neurosci Lett) Vol. 521 Issue 1 Pg. 37-9 (Jul 11 2012) ISSN: 1872-7972 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 22641055 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antiparkinson Agents
• Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Inhibitors
• Drug Combinations
• carbidopa, levodopa drug combination
• Levodopa
• Cysteine
• Carbidopa

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Antiparkinson Agents (blood, therapeutic use)
• Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Inhibitors
• Carbidopa (blood, therapeutic use)
• Cysteine (blood)
• Drug Combinations
• Female
• Humans
• Levodopa (blood, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Parkinson Disease (blood, drug therapy)