Pramipexole--a new dopamine agonist for the treatment of PD
Although L-DOPA is the current 'gold standard' for treatment of Parkinson's
disease, its effectiveness fades rapidly [ed. note - 'huh?'] and its use
results in serious motor fluctuations (on-off, wearing off, freezing,
involuntary movements) for most patients with Parkinson's disease.
Pramipexole is an aminothiazole dopamine agonist with selective actions at
dopamine receptors belonging to the D2 subfamily, where it possesses full
activity similar to dopamine itself.
Pramipexole's preferential affinity for the D3 receptor subtype could
contribute to efficacy in the treatment of both the motor and psychiatric
symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Both in vitro and in vivo studies in animals suggest that pramipexole
possesses numerous neuroprotective properties, including dopamine
autoreceptor agonist properties, antioxidant properties, ability to block
the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and the ability to stimulate
the release of trophic factors.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that pramipexole has excellent
pharmacokinetic properties and that it is an effective monotherapy in
treating early Parkinson's disease and an effective adjunctive therapy with
L-DOPA in treating late Parkinson's disease.
In addition, pramipexole has demonstrated efficacy in a clinical trial for
the treatment of major depression.
In the early disease studies, pramipexole was able to retard the need for
L-DOPA treatment for several years.
Thus, a new 'L-DOPA-sparing' paradigm for treating Parkinson's disease may
now be possible, whereby patients are initially treated with pramipexole
and L-DOPA is added only as necessary.
J Neurol Sci 1999 Feb 1;163(1):25-31
Bennett JP Jr, Piercey MF
University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville VA 22908
USA. <[log in to unmask] >
PMID: 10223406, UI: 99237917
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/>
janet paterson - 52 now /41 dx /37 onset - [log in to unmask]
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