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Product name: Levodopa
Synonym name: 3,4-Dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine;Bendopa; Brocadopa; Dopar; Larodopa
Catalogue No.: BP0853
Cas No.: 59-92-7
Formula: C9H11NO4
Mol Weight: 197.19
Botanical Source:
Physical Description:
Type of Compound: Phenylpropanoids
Purity: 95%~99%
Analysis Method: HPLC-DAD or/and HPLC-ELSD
Identification Method: Mass, NMR
Packing: Brown vial or HDPE plastic bottle
Storage: Store in a well closed container, protected from air and light. Put into refrigerate or freeze for long term storage.
Whenever possible, you should prepare and use solutions on the same day. However, if you need to make up stock solutions in advance, we recommend that you store the solution as aliquots in tightly sealed vials at -20℃. Generally, these will be useable for up to two weeks.
The product could be supplied from milligrams to grams
Inquire for bulk scale.
Chengdu Biopurify Phytochemicals Ltd. is a leading company in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of High Quality Phytochemicals and Extracts(especially Active Ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medicine，TCM), Natural Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients worldwide.
The main services:
A. Supply active ingredients and reference standards of TCM, from mgs to kgs scale
B. Custom extraction and purification, target Herb Active Ingredients
C. Custom synthesis and semi-synthesis for Natural Active Ingredients
D. CR(contract research), CM(contract manufacture) and PD(process development) services from lab scale, pilot scale to commercial scale(GMP is also available)
E. TCM compounds library for drug screen,more than 3000 compounds available, many of them are rare and unique.
HPLC of Levodopa
Storage conditions：Short-term storage at 2~8℃, long-term storage at -20 ~ -80℃
103.7800
-1.7667
-1.7838
6.2143
.5607
.7142
Low
23.0606
2.4271
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
0.0
No
No
No
No
Levodopa (L-DOPA), a classic natural derivative drug, has become the gold standard for treating Parkinson's Disease (PD) since its clinical introduction in the 1960s. Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the central nervous system, mainly manifesting as bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, tremors, and postural instability. As a precursor to dopamine, levodopa can cross the blood-brain barrier and is converted into dopamine by dopa decarboxylase in the brain, supplementing dopamine levels reduced by neuronal damage and thereby improving patients' motor symptoms.
Levodopa holds an important position not only in neuropharmacology, but its biosynthesis as a natural product, plant origin, and its multi-target mechanism have also attracted widespread attention. This paper will systematically review the chemical structure and physicochemical properties of levodopa, plant origin and extraction methods, pharmacological activity and mechanism of action, druggability evaluation, and pharmacokinetic characteristics, and finally look ahead to its clinical application prospects, aiming to provide reference for research on natural product pharmacology and Parkinson's disease treatment.
The chemical name of levodopa is (2S)-2-amino-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid, with the molecular formula C9H11NO4 and a molecular weight of 197.19. Its structural feature is a tyrosine derivative consisting of a benzene ring (dopa group) containing two orthohydroxyl groups attached to the L-α-amino acid backbone. Levodopa is an L-form optically active isomer of dopa, exhibiting characteristics as a non-protein amino acid.
In terms of physicochemical properties, the LogP value of levodopa is -1.7667, indicating strong hydrophilicity and good water solubility (solubility about 6.2143 mg/mL), which facilitates absorption and distribution in the body. Its topological polar surface area (TPSA) is 103.78 Ų, indicating strong polarity and hydrogen bond donor/acceptor capability. Although levodopa itself has a low blood-brain barrier penetration capacity, it enters the central nervous system via specific amino acid transporters. The hERG channel inhibition test was negative, indicating a low risk of cardiotoxicity; The Ames test result was 0, indicating no significant genotoxicity.
L-dopa, as a naturally occurring non-protein amino acid, is widely distributed in various plants, especially legumes and certain tropical plants. The most famous plant source is the African legume Mucuna pruriens, whose seeds are rich in levodopa, with content ranging from 3% to 6%. In addition, other plants such as Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean) and Vicia faba (broad bean) also contain certain amounts of Lvodopa.
Traditional methods for extracting levodopa mainly include water extraction, alcohol and acid extraction, etc. The general process is: crush the plant seeds, extract them with hot water or acidic solutions, then filter and centrifuge to remove solid impurities, followed by activated carbon adsorption, ion exchange columns, or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purification. In recent years, the application of ultrasound-assisted extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis extraction, and membrane separation technologies has improved extraction efficiency and purity. During extraction, care must be taken to prevent oxidative degradation of L-dopa, and antioxidants such as ascorbic acid are often added to maintain stability.
The main pharmacological activity of levodopa is concentrated in its role as a dopamine precursor. After entering the body, levodopa is absorbed through the amino acid transport system and then catalyzed by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) in the brain into dopamine, supplementing the neurotransmitters missing in Parkinson's disease patients and thereby alleviating motor symptoms. In addition, levodopa also exhibits certain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects.
Experimental studies have shown that levodopa has plant growth inhibitor activity and may act by interfering with dopamine metabolic pathways within plants. In animal models, levodopa significantly improves movement disorders, reduces tremors and muscle rigidity, and metabolite studies in mice reveal that its metabolic processes involve multiple enzyme systems. Additionally, levodopa, as a hapten and allelochemical agent, can regulate immune responses, suggesting its potential role in neuroinflammation.
However, long-term use of levodopa may cause exercise complications such as dykinesia and "switching" phenomena, suggesting its pharmacological activity is complex and requires combination therapy with other drugs to optimize efficacy.
The core mechanism of levodopa is to restore dopaminergic neuron function by replenishing dopamine levels in the brain. Its main molecular targets and related signaling pathways include:
Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC): catalyzes the conversion of levodopa to dopamine and is the key enzyme for levodopa's efficacy.
Dopamine receptors (D1-D5 subtypes): After dopamine binds to its receptors, it regulates basal ganglion neural circuits and improves motor control.
AMPK (PRKAA1): As an enzyme regulating energy metabolism, AMPK participates in neuronal metabolic homeostasis. Levodopa may influence neuroprotection by modulating AMPK signaling.
BCL2: An anti-apoptotic protein, levodopa may promote neuronal survival by regulating BCL2 expression.
MAOA (Monoamine Oxidase A): The enzyme that metabolizes dopamine, affects its breakdown rate, and regulates neurotransmitter balance.
PTPN1 (protein tyrosine phosphatase 1): involved in signal transduction and may affect neuronal function.
BACE1 (β-secretase 1): Related to neurodegenerative diseases, its regulatory role in levodopa is still under investigation.
APEX1, ALOX15, ALOX5, AKR1B1: Involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, levodopa may exert neuroprotective effects by modulating these targets.
In summary, levodopa not only acts directly as a dopamine prodrug but may also regulate neuronal metabolism, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses through multiple targets and pathways, reflecting its complex pharmacological mechanism.
Druggability evaluation of levodopa shows good safety and efficacy. Molecular weight is 197.19, and the relatively small molecular structure is beneficial for distribution in vivo. Its negative LogP value and high TPSA indicate strong hydrophilicity, making it difficult for passive diffusion to cross the blood-brain barrier, but it relies on amino acid transporters actively transporting it into the central nervous system. Low blood-brain barrier permeability is a limiting factor in clinical application, often combined with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitors (such as carbidopa) to reduce peripheral metabolism and increase effective concentration in the brain.
Pharmacokinetic studies show that oral levodopa is rapidly absorbed, has a short half-life (about 1-2 hours), and bioavailability is greatly influenced by gastrointestinal factors. Its metabolism mainly occurs in the periphery and brain, with metabolites including dopamine and its oxidation products. Levodopa does not significantly inhibit hERG channels, has good cardiac safety, and has no obvious genotoxicity, meeting long-term medication requirements.
However, long-term use of levodopa may lead to fluctuations in efficacy and exercise complications, indicating a complex relationship between its pharmacokinetic characteristics and clinical efficacy, and the need for further optimization of administration regimens and formulations.
As the cornerstone of Parkinson's disease treatment, levodopa is highly effective in improving motor symptoms, but its long-term use faces many challenges, such as exercise complications, fluctuations in drug efficacy, and limited improvement in non-motor symptoms. Future clinical application research directions mainly include:
Combination therapy strategy: Combine with dopa decarboxylase inhibitors, MAO-B inhibitors, COMT inhibitors, and other drugs to optimize the pharmacokinetics of levodopa, prolong the duration of efficacy, and reduce side effects.
New delivery systems: Developing sustained-release formulations, controlled-release microspheres, nasal inhalers, and intrabrain direct delivery technologies to increase drug concentration in the brain and reduce peripheral side effects.
Personalized Therapy: Based on genetics and metabolomics, develop personalized dosage and administration regimens to improve efficacy and safety.
Neuroprotective and disease-modifying effects: Exploring the potential of levodopa and its derivatives in neuroprotection, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, combined with novel biomarkers, to promote early disease intervention.
Development of natural product resources: In-depth research on the extraction of levodopa from natural resources such as Mucuna pruriens and its synergistic effects of its complex components provides new ideas for natural drug development.
In summary, levodopa remains an irreplaceable drug for Parkinson's disease treatment, and future multidisciplinary innovation is expected to enhance its clinical application value.
As a typical naturally derived drug, levodopa plays an irreplaceable role in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Its unique chemical structure and physicochemical properties determine its pharmacological activity and pharmacokinetic characteristics. The abundant plant sources and continuously optimized extraction processes provide guarantees for large-scale production. The multi-target mechanism of action reveals its complex pharmacological effects, providing a theoretical foundation for combination therapy and new drug development. Druggability evaluations indicate good safety, but issues of blood-brain barrier penetration and long-term side effects still need to be overcome. In the future, with the development of biotechnology and drug delivery systems, the clinical application prospects of levodopa are broad, promising to provide more effective and safer treatment options for Parkinson's disease patients.
Through a systematic review of levodopa, it is hoped to promote in-depth research in the fields of natural product pharmacology and neurological disease treatment, driving innovation and translational application of natural product drugs.
Shenshuai
Wenjing
Hedandan
