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The impression that I have been given is that carbidopa reduces the enzyme breakdown of levodopa to dopamine as the blood circulates in the body - thereby allowing more of the levodopa to enter the brain. Is there arterial blood recirculation per se? In other words, does there exist in the body a return to the heart directly? It is my understanding that there is none. The blood returning must be passed through capillaries and cells; then back through capillaries into veins which channel into the lungs - as I understand the reality (my knowing). If this is accurate, it would seem unlikely to me that much levodopa or carbidopa would survive the long trip through all this pathway and have a second chance to enter the brain. Perhaps I can be enlightened or directed to a source to read on this. Is there data on amount of levodopa in blood function of time? carbidopa level also? Does all the data come from venous rather than arterial blood? This latter would seem likely - and makes me doubt my conjecture that the chemicals have much trouble passing from arterial to veinous capillaries. Thanx in advance to anyone who helps un-muddle my thinking on this. Ron,59,dz PD 11 <[log in to unmask]> Ronald Vetter http://www1.ridgecrest.ca.us/~rfvetter/