4. Absorption and metabolism: levidopa

The drug is absorbed rapidly from the small intestine (when empty of food). Levodopa has an extremely short half-life (1 to 2 hours), which causes fluctuations in plasma concentration. This may produce fluctuations in motor response, which generally correlate with the plasma concentrations of levodopa, or perhaps give rise to the more troublesome “on-off” phenomenon, in which the motor fluctuations are not related to plasma levels in a simple way. Motor fluctuations may cause the patient to suddenly lose normal mobility and experience tremors, cramps, and immobility. Ingestion of meals, particularly if high in protein, interferes with the transport of levodopa into the CNS. Large, neutral amino acids (for example, leucine and isoleucine) compete with levodopa for absorption from the gut and for transport across the blood-brain barrier. Thus, levodopa should be taken on an empty stomach, typically 45 minutes before a meal. Withdrawal from the drug must be gradual.