Re: question re comt inhibitors

[William Heitman <HEITBILL@xxxxxxx>]

In a message dated 10/23/99 2:59:48 AM Central Daylight Time,
janet313@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<<
 if the work that this class of med does
 [saving lovely levodopa from arterial ambush by those vile venous comt
conspirators]
 is done in the bloodstream prior to arrival at the brain station
 why would either of them have to cross the blood brain barrier?
 anyway?
  >>

Janet,
On behalf of those maligned Catachol O Methyl Transferases,I afta say tat
they are just doing their job, Ma'am.  Why have one act within the BBB?  In
the normal brain, Monoamine oxidase and COMT are responsible for cleaning up
left over dopamine.  However, in the PD brain there is no excess.

The idea behind inhibitors as PD therapy is preserving dopamine for use by
the brain not capable of producing adequate supplies of its own.  Dopamine in
the synapse is sorta where "the rubber meets the road. "  Avoiding breakdown
in the extra BBB area would be helpful too, but not as helpful.  I predict
that entacapone will be the "weaker " of the two drugs.


Best ,
WHH