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Sorry Sylvia, I have trouble describing the pathways. They are confusing and I have difficulty anyway. I will try again. The question was what does COMT usually bind with if Comtan and levodopa are not present- that is what is its usual function? In the peripheral circulation (meaning all the circulation that is not protected by the blood brain barrier )there are many circulating amines called catacholamines which are degraded through the COMT pathway in a similar way to the way L-dopa is broken down. These include epinepherine, norepinepherine, seratonin and even dopamine (which cannot cross the blood brain barrier to get to where we need it.) This is a secondary pathway meaning that other metabolic pathways also exist which can metabolize the drugs and circulating amines produced by the body if one is blocked. Does this help? Charlie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sylvia Berger" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2000 9:34 PM Subject: Re: Purpose of COMT enzyme? > "Charles T. Meyer MD" wrote: > > > If there were no Comtan or levodopa a number of amines including > > catacholamines such as norepinepherine seratonin and dopamine exist in > > theperipheral circulation most of which utilize the COMT pathway. > > Charlie - you lost me on this sentence - what did I miss? > Sylvia