title: Mesulergine (CU32-085) in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Twenty patients with Parkinson's disease were treated with the 8-alpha-ergoline derivative mesulergine. Participants were divided into two groups, and over a nine-week period, mesulergine dosage was increased to a maximum of either 10 or 20 mg daily. During this time levodopa-carbidopa (LD-CD) dosage was reduced and treatment was discontinued if possible. The dosage of LD-CD was reduced 75% in the 10 mg group and 74% in the 20 mg group. Patients in the low-dose group maintained their functional status and showed improvement in postural stability. Patients in the high-dose group showed improvement in each of the cardinal signs of parkinsonism. Adverse effects were generally mild and infrequent. Many adverse effects induced by LD-CD diminished or resolved. Our results suggest that mesulergine can be valuable in the management of Parkinson's disease, particularly in those individuals experiencing dose-limiting adverse effects from LD-CD.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004873:Ergolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D004873:Ergolines; C031649:mesulergine