Entacapone

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Entacapone
Entacapone.svg
Entacapone molecule spacefill.png
Clinical data
Pronunciation /ˌɛntəkəˈpn/ or /ɛnˈtækəpn/
Trade names Comtan (single ingredient), Stalevo (multi-ingredient)
AHFS/Drugs.com Monograph
MedlinePlus a601236
License data
Pregnancy
category
  • AU:B3
Routes of
administration
By mouth
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 35%
Protein binding 98% (binds to serum albumin)
Metabolism Hepatic
Elimination half-life 0.4–0.7 hours
Excretion Feces (90%), urine (10%)
Identifiers
  • (2E)-2-Cyano-3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)-N,N-diethylprop-2-enamide
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard 100.128.566 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Chemical and physical data
Formula C14H15N3O5
Molar mass 305.290 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • [O-][N+](=O)c1cc(\C=C(/C#N)C(=O)N(CC)CC)cc(O)c1O
  • InChI=1S/C14H15N3O5/c1-3-16(4-2)14(20)10(8-15)5-9-6-11(17(21)22)13(19)12(18)7-9/h5-7,18-19H,3-4H2,1-2H3/b10-5+ Yes check.svgY
  • Key:JRURYQJSLYLRLN-BJMVGYQFSA-N Yes check.svgY
   (verify)

Entacapone, sold under the brand name Comtan among others, is a medication commonly used in combination with other medications for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. [2] Entacapone together with levodopa and carbidopa allows levodopa to have a longer effect in the brain and reduces Parkinson's disease signs and symptoms for a greater length of time than levodopa and carbidopa therapy alone. [2]

Contents

Entacapone is a selective and reversible inhibitor of the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). [2] When taken together with levodopa (L-DOPA) and carbidopa, entacapone stops COMT from breaking down levodopa, resulting in an overall increase of levodopa remaining in the brain and body. [2] Entacapone does not cross into the brain and hence does not inhibit COMT there. [3]

Carbidopa/levodopa/entacapone (Stalevo), a medication developed by Orion Pharma and marketed by Novartis, is a single tablet formulation that contains levodopa, carbidopa, and entacapone. [4]

Medical uses

Entacapone is used in addition to levodopa and carbidopa for people with Parkinson's disease to treat the signs and symptoms of end-of-dose "wearing-off." [5] "Wearing-off" is characterized by the re-appearance of both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease occurring towards the end of a previous levodopa and carbidopa dose. [6] In clinical trials, entacapone has not been shown to slow progression or reverse Parkinson's disease. [2] [6] [7]

Entacapone is an orally active drug that can be taken with or without food. [5] [7]

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Pregnancy category C: risk is not ruled out. [2]

Although there have been animal studies that showed that entacapone was excreted into maternal rat milk, there have been no studies with human breast milk. Caution is advised for mothers taking entacapone while breastfeeding or during pregnancy. [2]

Children

Entacapone safety and efficacy have not been assessed in infants or children. [2]

Liver problems

Biliary excretion is the major route of excretion for entacapone. People with liver dysfunction may require additional caution and more frequent liver function monitoring while taking entacapone. [2]

Kidney problems

There are no significant considerations for people with poor kidney function taking entacapone. [2]

Contraindications

There is a high risk for allergic reactions for people who are hypersensitive to entacapone. [2]

Potential limiting conditions to consider before starting entacapone include: [7]

Side effects

The following side effects have been reported by people with Parkinson's disease treated with entacapone:

Movement problems

The most common side effect of entacapone is movement problems, which occur in 25% of people taking entacapone. [2] This drug may cause or worsen dyskinesia for people with Parkinson's disease treated together with levodopa and carbidopa. [2] In particular, "peak-dose dyskinesias" may occur when levodopa levels are at its peak concentration in the serum plasma. [8] [9]

Diarrhea

10% of patients taking entacapone have been shown to experience diarrhea. [2] Diarrhea may occur within 4–12 weeks of initial entacapone use but resolves after discontinuation of the drug. Use of entacapone in the presence of diarrhea can also be associated with weight loss, low potassium levels, and dehydration. [2] In clinical studies, severe diarrhea was the most common reason for discontinuation of entacapone. [10]

Urine color

10% of people taking entacapone experience a change in urine color to orange, red, brown, or black. This side effect is due to entacapone metabolism and excretion in the urine and shown to not be harmful. [10]

Sudden sleep onset

People have reported sudden sleep onset while engaging in daily activities without prior warning of drowsiness. In controlled studies, patients on entacapone had a 2% increased risk of somnolence compared to placebo. [2]

Low blood pressure

Episodes of orthostatic hypotension have been shown to be more common at the start of entacapone use due to increased levels of levodopa. [2]

Behavior problems

Post-marketing data shows that entacapone may change or worsen mental status, leading to behaviors such as delusions, agitation, confusion, and delirium. [2]

People taking entacapone may experience increased urges to participate in gambling, sexual activities, money spending, and other stimulating reward behaviors. [2]

Interactions

In studies, entacapone has shown a low potential for interaction with other drugs. In theory, it could interact with MAO inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors because they also increase catecholamine levels in the body, with drugs being metabolized by COMT (for example methyldopa, dobutamine, apomorphine, adrenaline, and isoprenaline), with iron because it could form chelates, with substances binding to the same albumin site in the blood plasma (for example diazepam and ibuprofen), and with drugs being metabolized by the liver enzyme CYP2C9 (for example warfarin). None of the medications tested in studies have shown clinically relevant interactions, except perhaps warfarin for which a 13% (CI90: 6–19%) increase in INR was seen when combined with entacapone. [11]

Pharmacology

Mechanism of action

Entacapone is a selective and reversible inhibitor of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). [2] COMT eliminates biologically active catechols present in catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine) and their hydroxylated metabolites. When administered with a decarboxylase inhibitor, COMT acts as the major metabolizing enzyme for levodopa and metabolizes it to 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-L-phenylalanine (3-OMD) in the brain and in the periphery. [2]

For the treatment of Parkinson's disease, entacapone is given as an adjunct to levodopa and an aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, carbidopa. Entacapone is peripherally selective and inhibits COMT in the body but not in the brain. [3] [12] As a result, entacapone inhibits the peripheral metabolism of levodopa, thus increasing plasma levels of levodopa. [3] [2] This causes more constant dopaminergic stimulation in order to reduce the signs and symptoms presented in the disease. [2]

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption

The time to highest blood plasma concentrations is approximately one hour. The substance undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism. Absolute oral bioavailability (F) is 35%. [2] [11]

Distribution

The volume of distribution (Vd) after intravenous injection is approximately 20 liters. 98% of the circulating entacapone is bound to serum albumin, which limits its distribution into tissues. [2] [11] Entacapone has low lipophilicity and does not significantly cross the blood–brain barrier. [3] As a result, it is a peripherally selective drug and does not act in the brain. [3]

Metabolism and elimination

Entacapone is primarily metabolized to its glucuronide in the liver, and 5% are converted into the Z-isomer. [11] It has a half-life of approximately 0.3–0.7 hours, with only 0.2% being excreted unchanged in the urine. [2]

Research

Restless legs syndrome

Entacapone, in conjunction with levodopa and carbidopa, was under development for use in the treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS), but development was discontinued. [13] [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catecholamine</span> Class of chemical compounds

A catecholamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter, an organic compound that has a catechol and a side-chain amine.

Catechol-<i>O</i>-methyltransferase Class of enzymes

Catechol-O-methyltransferase is one of several enzymes that degrade catecholamines, catecholestrogens, and various drugs and substances having a catechol structure. In humans, catechol-O-methyltransferase protein is encoded by the COMT gene. Two isoforms of COMT are produced: the soluble short form (S-COMT) and the membrane bound long form (MB-COMT). As the regulation of catecholamines is impaired in a number of medical conditions, several pharmaceutical drugs target COMT to alter its activity and therefore the availability of catecholamines. COMT was first discovered by the biochemist Julius Axelrod in 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5-Hydroxytryptophan</span> Chemical compound

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), also known as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin.

<small>L</small>-DOPA Chemical compound

l-DOPA, also known as levodopa and l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, is made and used as part of the normal biology of some plants and animals, including humans. Humans, as well as a portion of the other animals that utilize l-DOPA, make it via biosynthesis from the amino acid l-tyrosine. l-DOPA is the precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and epinephrine (adrenaline), which are collectively known as catecholamines. Furthermore, l-DOPA itself mediates neurotrophic factor release by the brain and CNS. In some plant families, l-DOPA is the central precursor of a biosynthetic pathway that produces a class of pigments called betalains. l-DOPA can be manufactured and in its pure form is sold as a psychoactive drug with the INN levodopa; trade names include Sinemet, Pharmacopa, Atamet, and Stalevo. As a drug, it is used in the clinical treatment of Parkinson's disease and dopamine-responsive dystonia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbidopa</span> Chemical compound

Carbidopa (Lodosyn) is a drug given to people with Parkinson's disease in order to inhibit peripheral metabolism of levodopa. This property is significant in that it allows a greater proportion of administered levodopa to cross the blood–brain barrier for central nervous system effect, instead of being peripherally metabolised into substances unable to cross said barrier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zafirlukast</span> Chemical compound

Zafirlukast is an orally administered leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA) used for the chronic treatment of asthma. While zafirlukast is generally well tolerated, headache and stomach upset often occur. Some rare side effects can occur, which can be life-threatening, such as liver failure. Churg-Strauss syndrome has been associated with zafirlukast, but the relationship isn't thought to be causative in nature. Overdoses of zafirlukast tend to be self-limiting.

Carbidopa/levodopa, also known as levocarb and co-careldopa, is the combination of the two medications carbidopa and levodopa. It is primarily used to manage the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but it does not slow down the disease or stop it from getting worse. It is taken by mouth. It can take two to three weeks of treatment before benefits are seen. Each dose then begins working in about ten minutes to two hours with a duration of effect of about five hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dopaminergic</span> Substance related to dopamine functions

Dopaminergic means "related to dopamine" (literally, "working on dopamine"), dopamine being a common neurotransmitter. Dopaminergic substances or actions increase dopamine-related activity in the brain. Dopaminergic brain pathways facilitate dopamine-related activity. For example, certain proteins such as the dopamine transporter (DAT), vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), and dopamine receptors can be classified as dopaminergic, and neurons that synthesize or contain dopamine and synapses with dopamine receptors in them may also be labeled as dopaminergic. Enzymes that regulate the biosynthesis or metabolism of dopamine such as aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase or DOPA decarboxylase, monoamine oxidase (MAO), and catechol O-methyl transferase (COMT) may be referred to as dopaminergic as well. Also, any endogenous or exogenous chemical substance that acts to affect dopamine receptors or dopamine release through indirect actions (for example, on neurons that synapse onto neurons that release dopamine or express dopamine receptors) can also be said to have dopaminergic effects, two prominent examples being opioids, which enhance dopamine release indirectly in the reward pathways, and some substituted amphetamines, which enhance dopamine release directly by binding to and inhibiting VMAT2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tolcapone</span> Chemical compound

Tolcapone, sold under the brand name Tasmar, is a medication used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). It is a selective, potent and reversible nitrocatechol-type inhibitor of the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). It has demonstrated significant liver toxicity, which has led to suspension of marketing authorisations in a number of countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dopamine agonist</span> Compound that activates dopamine receptors

A dopamine agonist(DA) is a compound that activates dopamine receptors. There are two families of dopamine receptors, D1-like and D2-like. They are all G protein-coupled receptors. D1- and D5-receptors belong to the D1-like family and the D2-like family includes D2, D3 and D4 receptors. Dopamine agonists are primarily used in the treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and to a lesser extent, in hyperprolactinemia and restless legs syndrome. They are also used off-label in the treatment of clinical depression. Impulse control disorders are associated with the use of dopamine agonists for whatever condition.

In the management of Parkinson's disease, due to the chronic nature of Parkinson's disease (PD), a broad-based program is needed that includes patient and family education, support-group services, general wellness maintenance, exercise, and nutrition. At present, no cure for the disease is known, but medications or surgery can provide relief from the symptoms.

Catechol-<i>O</i>-methyltransferase inhibitor Medication

A catechol-O-methyltransferase(COMT) inhibitor is a drug that inhibits the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase. This enzyme methylates catecholamines such as dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. It also methylates levodopa. COMT inhibitors are indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in combination with levodopa and an aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor. The therapeutic benefit of using a COMT inhibitor is based on its ability to prevent the methylation of levodopa to 3-O-methyldopa, thus increasing the bioavailability of levodopa. COMT inhibitors significantly decrease off time in people with Parkinson's disease also taking carbidopa/levodopa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Droxidopa</span> Synthetic amino acid/norepinephrine prodrug

Droxidopa is a synthetic amino acid precursor which acts as a prodrug to the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (noradrenaline). Unlike norepinephrine, droxidopa is capable of crossing the protective blood–brain barrier (BBB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbidopa/levodopa/entacapone</span> Anti Parkinson medicine

Carbidopa/levodopa/entacapone, sold under the brand name Stalevo among others, is a dopaminergic fixed-dose combination medication that contains carbidopa, levodopa, and entacapone for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor</span>

An aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor is a medication of type enzyme inhibitor which inhibits the synthesis of dopamine by the enzyme aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. It is used to inhibit the decarboxylation of L-DOPA to dopamine outside the brain, i.e. in the blood. This is primarily co-administered with L-DOPA to combat Parkinson's disease. Administration can prevent common side-effects, such as nausea and vomiting, as a result of interaction with D2 receptors in the vomiting center located outside the blood–brain barrier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safinamide</span> Reversible monoamine oxidase B inhibitor

Safinamide is a drug used as an add-on treatment for Parkinson's disease with "off" episodes; it has multiple modes of action, including the inhibition of monoamine oxidase B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parkinson's disease</span> Long-term neurodegenerative disease

Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term neurodegenerative disease of mainly the central nervous system that affects both the motor and non-motor systems of the body. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease progresses, non-motor symptoms become more common. Usual symptoms include tremors, slowness of movement, rigidity, and difficulty with balance, collectively known as parkinsonism. Parkinson's disease dementia, falls and neuropsychiatric problems such as sleep abnormalities, psychosis, mood swings, or behavioral changes may arise in advanced stages as well.

3-<i>O</i>-Methyldopa Chemical compound

3-O-Methyldopa (3-OMD) is one of the most important metabolites of L-DOPA, a drug used in the treatment of the Parkinson's disease.

Peripherally selective drugs have their primary mechanism of action outside of the central nervous system (CNS), usually because they are excluded from the CNS by the blood–brain barrier. By being excluded from the CNS, drugs may act on the rest of the body without producing side-effects related to their effects on the brain or spinal cord. For example, most opioids cause sedation when given at a sufficiently high dose, but peripherally selective opioids can act on the rest of the body without entering the brain and are less likely to cause sedation. These peripherally selective opioids can be used as antidiarrheals, for instance loperamide (Imodium).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opicapone</span> Chemical compound

Opicapone, sold under the brand name Ongentys, is a medication which is administered together with levodopa in people with Parkinson's disease. Opicapone is a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor.

References

  1. Anvisa (31 March 2023). "RDC Nº 784 - Listas de Substâncias Entorpecentes, Psicotrópicas, Precursoras e Outras sob Controle Especial" [Collegiate Board Resolution No. 784 - Lists of Narcotic, Psychotropic, Precursor, and Other Substances under Special Control] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário Oficial da União (published 4 April 2023). Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 "Comtan Full Prescribing Information-Novartis" (PDF). Pharma.us.novartis.com. July 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Habet S (August 2022). "Clinical Pharmacology of Entacapone (Comtan) From the FDA Reviewer". Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 25 (7): 567–575. doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyac021. PMC   9352175 . PMID   35302623. Entacapone is a potent and specific peripheral catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor. [...] Entacapone has no antiparkinsonian activity as a sole agent. Therefore, it must be given as an adjunct to LD and a peripherally acting DDC inhibitor, such as carbidopa. Entacapone acts peripherally and does not penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). [...] It is poorly lipophilic and does not penetrate the BBB to any significant extent. Its clinical effects are thus due to peripheral COMT inhibition only (Nutt, 1998; Fahn et al, 2004). [...] Entacapone is poorly lipophilic. Therefore, its clinical effects are due to peripheral COMT inhibition alone. [...] Entacapone is a potent, specific, and reversible COMT inhibitor. The drug has been shown to act peripherally, but not centrally, when given at clinically effective doses.
  4. "Stalevo- carbidopa, levodopa, and entacapone tablet, film coated". DailyMed. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  5. 1 2 "PubMedHealth". PubMedHealth. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
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  14. Fulda S, Wetter TC (August 2005). "Emerging drugs for restless legs syndrome". Expert Opin Emerg Drugs. 10 (3): 537–552. doi:10.1517/14728214.10.3.537. PMID   16083328.