How Parkinson’s disease is commonly treated with drugs

Parkinson’s disease is a common degenerative disease of the central nervous system in middle-aged and elderly people, and the current treatment is mainly based on drug therapy, supplemented by rehabilitation exercises and dietary modifications. There are five major principles of drug therapy: long-term medication, synergistic medication, low dose and dose titration of levodopa, emphasis on neuroprotection, and individualization of medication. The main drugs for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in China are as follows: Amantadine: It is the earliest antiviral drug, which can promote the release of dopamine and has the effect of mild agonism of dopamine receptors. The commonly used dose is 100m,3 times a day. It is effective in mild cases, and the side effects of this drug are small. Anticholinergics: The principle of action is to inhibit the action of acetylcholine, which can correct the imbalance of acetylcholine and dopamine. It is suitable for patients with early mild Parkinson’s disease, and is effective for tremor and muscle rigidity. The commonly used drug is Antan, which is given orally 2 to 4 mg three times a day. Side effects include dry mouth, blurred eyes, absence of sweating, flushing, nausea, insomnia, constipation, urinary retention and, hallucinations and delusions. They disappear after stopping the drug and reducing the dose. Contraindicated in people with glaucoma or prostatic hypertrophy. In the elderly, it can cause mental retardation. In patients over 60 years of age, it is now mostly advocated not to use. Dopamine replacement therapy: can play a role in replenishing dopamine in the brain, is currently the most common and effective method. Commonly used drugs include: (1) Methadopa: a 4:1 mixture of levodopa and benserazide. For patients with early lesions, the starting dose can be 125mg, taken 3 times a day. This drug significantly reduces the peripheral side effects of levodopa, but does not improve the central side effects.  (2) Parkinin controlled-release tablet: It is a controlled-release tablet of levodopa and methyldopa hydrazide complex, which can make levodopa blood concentration more stable and reach more than 4-6 hours, and help to reduce the end-of-dose phenomenon, switch phenomenon and peak dose hyperactivity of levodopa. The initial dose can be 125mg, taken 3 times a day. COMT inhibitor (Entacapone, Kotan): The main principle of this drug is to stabilize the concentration of levodopa in the blood, thus reducing its dosage and side effects. It can prolong the half-life of levodopa, prevent or delay the appearance of motor fluctuation and “odd movement” phenomenon, and the common dose is 200mg, taken 3 times a day. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors: Dopamine can be oxidatively degraded in the brain by MAO-B, and a large number of oxygen radicals are generated during its metabolism to damage neurons. In addition, MPTP is oxidized to toxic MPP+ through MAO-B. Therefore, inhibiting the activity of MAO-B can both prolong the residence time of dopamine in the brain, enhance the efficacy, reduce the dosage of levodopa and its side effects, and indirectly play a role in protecting neurons. Commonly used drugs Midodopir (Slegiline), Sigiline. Dopamine receptor agonists: Because of the risk of pulmonary and cardiac valve fibrosis with ergot receptor agonists (sniffing stop, Xelianxing), they are now used sparingly. Recommended non-ergot receptor agonists include: (1) Tysudar: an agonist of dopamine D2 receptors that stimulates D3 receptors in the midbrain cortical and limbic pathways, improves patients’ intellectual and emotional impairment, and reduces glutamine and free radical levels.  (2) Senfuro (Pramipexole): It is a new generation of non-ergot dopamine receptor agonist, which can avoid neurological damage caused by long-term use of levodopa and reduce the dose of levodopa. It also selectively acts on D2/D3 receptors, which can control tremor and other movement-related symptoms, while relieving psychiatric symptoms, and is a new drug for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.