title: Introductory remarks: Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition--an innovative approach to enhance L-dopa therapy in Parkinson's disease with dual enzyme inhibition.
abstract: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme and its inhibition have been closely related to the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with motor fluctuations needing enhancement of their levodopa (L-dopa) therapy (L-dopa/dopa decarboxylase inhibitor), this indication being so far the only clinical application of COMT inhibitors. L-dopa treatment has remained the most effective therapy for PD, but its further development has been quite a challenge mainly due to the effective metabolism of L-dopa in the human body by multiple pathways, decarboxylation and O-methylation being the two most important of them. The introduction of clinically effective and safe COMT inhibitors has greatly increased the usefulness of L-dopa therapy, but how to utilize the full potential of L-dopa is still unsolved leaving a need for more potent COMT inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Orion Corporation, Orion Pharma, Research and Development, Research Center, Espoo, Finland.
authors.forename: Erkki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nissinen
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D007980:Levodopa; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase