Definition

Noun 1. A medication for Parkinson's disease: L-dopa is the levorotatory (left-rotating) form of the amino acid dopa. It is a precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine and is used as a drug to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease by increasing dopamine levels in the brain.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor prescribed l-dopa to manage the patient's tremors and stiffness.
  • L-dopa therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for Parkinson's disease.
  • A common side effect of long-term l-dopa use is dyskinesia (involuntary movements).

Advanced Usage

• "L-dopa/carbidopa": This refers to a common combination medication where carbidopa is added to prevent the breakdown of l-dopa in the body before it reaches the brain, allowing for a lower and more effective dose.
  • The patient was switched from plain l-dopa to a l-dopa/carbidopa combination to improve efficacy.

Variants and Related Words

• Levodopa: This is the full, formal chemical name for l-dopa. The terms are used interchangeably in medical contexts.
• Dopamine: The neurotransmitter in the brain that l-dopa helps to produce.
• Carbidopa: A drug often combined with l-dopa (see Advanced Usage).

Synonyms

• Levodopa (formal synonym)
• L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (full chemical name)

Notes on Different Meanings

• L-dopa has a very specific meaning in medicine and biochemistry. It is not used in general language outside of references to Parkinson's disease treatment or neurochemistry.

Noun

1. the levorotatory form of dopa (trade names Bendopa and Brocadopa and Larodopa); as a drug it is used to treat Parkinson's disease