title: Tetrahydrobiopterin and Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Two patients with Parkinson's disease were treated with 1 g tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) for 5 days. Clinical improvement was not observed. In the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) a 4-8 fold increase in the concentration of homovanillic acid (HVA), and a 3-fold increase in the concentration of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) was measured. However, the concentration of HVA reached, was only approximately half as high, as that of patients treated with madopar (DOPA + benserazid). In urine, the excretion of HVA increased 13-37 fold, when the patients were treated with madopar, whereas no increase in the HVA excretion was measured after the BH4 administration. Additionally, 2 patients with Parkinson's disease were treated with 1 g BH4 in combination with 15 g tyrosine for 3 days, and 1 parkinsonian patient was treated with 15 g tyrosine daily for 7 weeks. No increase in the CSF concentrations of HVA or 5-HIAA was observed. The results suggest, the BH4 in the dosage used, is not effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
authors: John F. Kennedy Institute, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors: I C
authors: IC
authors: Dissing
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Güttler
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Pakkenberg
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Lou
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Gerdes
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Lykkelund
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001545:Benserazide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000652:urine; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C005177:benserazide, levodopa drug combination; D001708:Biopterins; D014443:Tyrosine; D007980:Levodopa; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D001545:Benserazide; C003402:sapropterin; D006719:Homovanillic Acid