>>> W.S. <[log in to unmask]> 05/28/97 11:26am >>> Has anyone heard or know anything about a new drug to come out this year TOLCAPONE brand name (TASMAR) it is a dopamine agonist I read about in prevention mag. ? WHITIE Hi Whitie: TOLCAPONE is a Cathechol-O-Methyl Transferase (COMT) inhibitor which prolongs the action of levodopa medicine in the brain by inhibiting the action of the enzyme COMT in the brain, which metabolizes dopamine. It is manufactured by Hoffman-LaRoche Labs under the brand name Tasmar# and is currently under clinical trials. Side effects are reported as mild headache, nausea, loose stool, and some transient dyskinesia. The drug acts to maintain the blood levels of levodopa for a longer period which should allow better control of symptoms with lower dosages of medication.