Pharmacological therapy of Parkinson's disease: current options and new avenues.
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative pathology which affects the dopaminergic neurons in the mesencephalon, leading to a progressive and relentless motor disability and to non-motor symptoms of different severity. The aim of this review is to summarize the features of drugs currently used in the pharmacotherapy of Parkinson's disease, with a look at their beneficial effects and limitations. Drugs acting on dopamine transmission, as L-DOPA, direct dopaminergic agonists, inhibitors for either the MAO or COMT enzymes and drugs acting on neurotransmitters other than dopamine (e.g. acetylcholine, glutamate) will be covered. Investigational drugs currently under examination for their therapeutic potential in Parkinson's disease and recent patents which may be relevant to the field will be also discussed.
Simola
Nicola
N
Department of Toxicology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. nicola.simola@gmail.com
Pinna
Annalisa
A
Fenu
Sandro
S
D000818:Animals; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015195:Drug Design; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010330:Patents as Topic
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents