Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026

Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease
Published on: April 29, 2007
Entacapone in the management of Parkinson's disease
Claire Henchcliffe1, Cheryl Waters
1The Neurological Institute, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Abstract:
Entacapone is one of a new class of drugs, the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors, which expand the therapeutic options for Parkinson's disease by extending the action of levodopa. Entacapone is used in conjunction with levodopa and provides benefit to patients who suffer from motor fluctuations. Side effects include worsening of the dyskinesias associated with peak doses of levodopa, hypotension, constipation and urine discoloration. Unlike tolcapone, an earlier COMT inhibitor, entacapone does not require liver function monitoring.
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