title: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling of L-dopa plasma concentrations and clinical effects in Parkinson's disease after Sinemet.
abstract: Eleven parkinsonian patients participated in a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study in an attempt to model levodopa (L-DOPA) plasma concentrations to clinical effect. Carbidopa 25 mg/L-DOPA 100 mg (Sinemet 25/100) was given orally, and blood samples were obtained before and serially for 4 hours after the dose. Effect measurements were obtained with each blood sample and included tapping score, timed walking, and global assessment of motor function. Mean L-DOPA plasma concentrations were fitted to a one-compartment pharmacokinetic model. A time-wise plot of modeled plasma L-DOPA concentrations versus mean effect measurements revealed a counter-clockwise hysteresis. Effect compartment concentrations were determined by a least squares approach, which determined elimination rate constants by minimizing hysteresis. Half-times for the equilibration between plasma and the effect compartment were 0.39 h for tapping, 0.36 h for walking, and 0.34 h for the global score. Pharmacodynamic data were fit best with an Emax model with baseline effect for tapping (Emax = 53.2 taps/60 s, EC50 = 0.58 microgram/ml) and global score (Emax set at 5.0 by limits of scale, EC50 = 2.53 micrograms/ml). A linear model best described the relationship between predicted effect site concentration and timed walking. L-DOPA plasma concentrations after oral Sinemet did not correlate well with clinical response because clinical response lags behind plasma concentrations. Half-times for equilibration between plasma and the effect site were similar for all of the effects measured.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Allied Health, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Berchou
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lewitt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kareti
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kesaree
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schlick
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Galloway
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; C009265:carbidopa, levodopa drug combination; D007980:Levodopa; D002230:Carbidopa