title: The influence of a standard meal on Sinemet CR absorption in patients with Parkinson's disease.
abstract: We studied the influence of dietary protein intake on the plasma level profile of levodopa, carbidopa, and 3-O-methyldopa and clinical efficacy in 12 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease after intake of one levodopa-carbidopa 200/50 controlled release tablet (Sinemet CR; LC-CR). The tablet was given 1 h before the protein rich meal on one day (fasted) and together with the meal on an other day (non-fasted). Higher levodopa and carbidopa concentrations were reached when the LC-CR was taken 1 h before the meal, but the plasma level profile for levodopa was flatter in the non-fasted state. The area under the curve for levodopa was slightly higher in the fasted condition. For the clinical variables walking and tapping slightly better clinical results (P = 0.08) were found in the fasted condition with the higher levodopa levels. If the patient on levodopa is in a clinically satisfactory condition, then non-fasted condition could be preferred because of the smooth plasma level profile demonstrated. However, if the initial levodopa concentrations are not in the critical range to be effective for the patient, the advice should be to take the drug in a fasted condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Roos
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tijssen
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: van der Velde
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Breimer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D004338:Drug Combinations; C009265:carbidopa, levodopa drug combination; D007980:Levodopa; D002230:Carbidopa