Intestinal Absorption of Levodopa in Man

In four healthy subjects the intestinal absorption of levodopa (l-dopa) was investigated by measuring the plasma concentration of the amino acid following the administration of l-dopa at three different sites in the small intestine. In order to minimize presystemic clearance of l-dopa, the subjects were pretreated with the peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor benserazide 3 X 50 mg every 8 h on the previous day and 1 X 50 mg 2 h prior to administration of the l-dopa. L-dopa 100 mg dissolved in 0.05 N HCl and 50 mg benserazide dissolved in 0.05 N HCl were coadministered. Under these conditions no difference in tmax, cmax or AUC of l-dopa was observed between administration of the drug into the proximal or the distal part of duodenum, or into the upper part of jejunum. The results indicate that in healthy subjects, during inhibition of peripheral decarboxylase, the rate and extent of l-dopa absorption does not differ at any site in the upper small intestine.