Gender and pramipexole effects on levodopa pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

The authors studied the pharmacokinetics of levodopa (LD) with and without pramipexole (PPX) in men and postmenopausal women with PD. Patients on stable dose of carbidopa/LD were randomized to receive escalating doses of placebo or PPX over 7 weeks. LD and PPX pharmacokinetics were performed after a single test dose 25/100 of carbidopa/LD, before initiation of PPX or placebo, at 1.5 mg/d and 4.5 mg/d of PPX or placebo. Compared to men, women had greater LD bioavailability. PPX did not alter LD bioavailability, and PPX pharmacokinetics were equivalent in men and women.