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Martin, you wrote: >Today my neurologist prescribed amantadine (100 mg, 2/day) for my PD and >I went searching the Web for the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR), but >alas I was unsuccessful. (I used every search engine imaginable and also >scoured pharmacology sites.) Any one know if the PDR is available on the >WWW? Martin Bayne I use the PDR on my weight training days -- it's a BIG book! Anyway, Amantadine hydrochloride /Symmetrel, pgs. 946, 958, 2679 and 581 in PDR. It also helps if you have a magnifying glass! I don't know whether the PDR is on-line? There are a couple of sites that do have pharm. info: http://www.med.ufl.edu/medinfo/baseline/HN9.html http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/rxlist.cgi You are very wise in checking for drug inter-actions. Following is a exerpt from Patrick Martin's "Our Favorite Drugs": Drug Interactions Report *New, common, and/or less common drugs are indicated by asterisks. The information available for these drugs is less thorough than for the others, so you may wish to consult other references. Benztropine/Amantadine Concomitant use of benztropine with other drugs possessing anticholinergic activity can lead to anticholinergic toxicity. These drugs include amantadine, haloperidol, direct anticholinergics, antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, and phenothiazines. Reactions have included paralytic ileus, hyperthermia, and heat intolerance. Although additive anticholinergic effects are possible, combination therapy is sometimes necessary to control other unwanted side effects of a neuroleptic. Levodopa; Carbidopa/Amantadine Concomitant administration of amantadine, benztropine, procyclidine, or trihexyphenidyl with levodopa-carbidopa can enhance the therapeutic effects of levodopa but should not be used in patients with a history of psychosis. Amantadine can increase the efficiency of levodopa by its action on central nerve terminals. Patients who exhibit psychoses should avoid this combination because of the possibility of an increased psychotic effect. Trihexyphenidyl/Amantadine Concomitant use of trihexyphenidyl with other drugs possessing anticholinergic activity can lead to additive toxicity. These drugs include amantadine, haloperidol, direct anticholinergics, antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, and phenothiazines. Regards, Margaret Tuchman (54-dx 1980)