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Catechol-O-methyl transferase

About: Catechol-O-methyl transferase is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1646 publications have been published within this topic receiving 87360 citations.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is reasonable to suggest that COMT inhibition will be associated with prolonged effects of levodopa in PD, without increased peak dose toxicity in the form of dyskinesias and hallucinations.
Abstract: Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an important enzyme that is linked directly to therapy with levodopa. Considering the demonstrated mechanism of action and pharmacologic profiles of COMT inhibitors, it is reasonable to hypothesize that these agents would improve the disability associated with Parkinson's disease. Two basic classes of COMT inhibitors are being studied in patients with PD: those that act exclusively extracerebrally or peripherally (e.g., entacapone) and those that cross the blood-brain barrier (e.g., tolcapone). With COMT inhibition, greater peripheral bioavailability of levodopa occurs in humans without an enhancement of peak plasma levels. It is reasonable to suggest that COMT inhibition will be associated with prolonged effects of levodopa in PD, without increased peak dose toxicity in the form of dyskinesias and hallucinations.

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Entacapone and tolcapone are equally potent COMT inhibitors against rat striatal COMT in vitro and the present results suggest that the local distribution of entacap one and to lcapone differ when the drugs are delivered directly into the brain.

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings provide the first evidence that stimulation of βARs following acute or chronic COMT inhibition drives cognitive-affective behaviors associated with heightened pain that affects multiple body sites.

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings suggest that alcohol-induced BP elevation may be related to the effects of catecholamines and their genetically determined inactivation.

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Entacapone reduced erythrocyte COMT activity after the first dose, and this effect was quite stable during frequent dosing, suggesting that Parkinsonian patients with advanced disease and motor fluctuations take several doses of levodopa daily, there are neither indications of accumulation of entacap one nor of its COMT inhibiting activity.
Abstract: Objective: Entacapone is a peripherally acting catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor used as an adjunct to each daily levodopa/dopa decarboxylase (DDC) inhibitor dose in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonian patients with advanced disease and motor fluctuations take several doses of levodopa daily, due to the short action of levodopa in this patient population. The present study was conducted in order to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of entacapone after multiple dosing and the pattern of COMT inhibition in erythrocytes during the first day of dosing as well as during steady state. Furthermore, the disposition of plasma levodopa and carbidopa was studied after a single dose of levodopa/carbidopa during the same conditions. Methods: Twelve healthy male volunteers received 200 mg entacapone eight times daily during study day 1 and day 6 at 2-h intervals from 0800 hours to 2200 hours. During days 3, 4 and 5, 200 mg of entacapone was taken ten times daily, from 0800 hours to 0200 hours on the following day. One levodopa/carbidopa tablet (100/25 mg) was taken on study day 1 and day 6 at 1000 hours. Plasma entacapone concentrations and erythrocyte COMT activities were measured frequently on study days 1–2 and 6–7, and twice daily on study days 3–5. Pharmacokinetic parameters calculated from plasma drug concentrations on days 1–2 and 6–7 were compared with each other. Results: There were no differences in maximal plasma concentration (Cmax), time to maximal drug concentration in plasma (tmax), elimination half-life (t1/2) and area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) of entacapone between day 1 and day 6. The mean t1/2 values of entacapone were 1.3 h and 1.8 h during the first and sixth days, respectively; the difference was not significant. No signs of accumulation of entacapone were noted after the first day. Entacapone reduced erythrocyte COMT activity after the first dose, and this effect was quite stable during frequent dosing. There were no indications of accumulation of COMT inhibition during frequent dosing of entacapone. There were no between-day differences in Cmax, t1/2 (2.4 h on days 1–2 and 2.3 h on days 6–7) or AUC of levodopa, whereas tmax occurred at 0.8 h on day 1 and at 1.2 h on day 6 (P = 0.03). There were no between-day differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, tmax and AUC) of carbidopa. Conclusion: Even when dosed frequently, there are neither indications of accumulation of entacapone nor of its COMT inhibiting activity.

23 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202338
202265
202129
202032
201931
201834