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Did I miss a post on this in thelast couple of weeks? I found it by going to www.medscapr.com and performing a search for "parkinsons". If it hasn't made it to this list yet, here is a synopsis of an article on Medscape about Tolcapone: Boston-- (Medical Tribune, Internist and Cardiologist edition) Dr. Charles Adler, at the Scottsdale, Arizona branch of the Mayo Clinic, says tolcapone, when taken the same number of times daily as levodopa, decreases the amount of levodopa needed (a 30% increase in length of levodopa effectiveness) and shortens the time between taking levodopa and having that dose take effect. The article claims that tolcapone, "helps prolong the amount of time patients are free of tremors and other symptoms of the degenerative brain disorder . . ." Tolcapone is a COMT blocker. It blocks catechol-O-methyl transferase, an enzyme which metabolizes dopamine. Dose-related improvements of 70-80% were seen, with subjects gaining 2 to 2 and a half hours of "on" time. Side effects (dyskinesia, nausea, diarrhea) decreased as levodopa intake decreased. Hoffmann-LaRoche, makers of tolcapone, is applying for FDA approval. Deanne Charlton (CG) [log in to unmask]