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Antiparkinson agents

Antiparkinson agents

Antiparkinson agents aim to replace dopamine either by drugs that release dopamine or those that mimic the action of dopamine. Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of movement that occurs due to dopamine deficiency in the basal ganglia. Antiparkinson agents attempt to replace dopamine and treat or halt the symptoms such as tremor, hypokinesia, and so on.

Anticholinergic antiparkinson agents


Anticholinergic antiparkinson agents or acetylcholine antagonists block the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and cholinergic nerve activity. 
Activation of muscarinic receptors has an excitatory effect, opposite to that of dopaminergic activation, so suppression of the effects of acetylcholine compensates for a lack of dopamine in Parkinson's disease. 
Acetylcholine and dopamine have to be carefully balanced for proper body movement. Anticholinergic agents create a better balance between acetylcholine and dopamine. Anticholinergic agents are used to treat patients with Parkinson's disease who have tremor.

diphenhydramine
benztropine

Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agents


Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agents aim to replace dopamine or prevent the degradation of dopamine. Antiparkinson drugs that aim to replace dopamine in the central nervous system, either release dopamine or mimic the action of dopamine. 

Drugs that replace dopamine are generally given with peripherally acting dopa carboxylase inhibitors, to prevent the metabolism of levodopa to dopamine peripherally. Dopamine receptor agonists bind to dopamine receptors and mimic the action of dopamine. 

Selective monoamine oxidase (MAO-B) inhibitors bind to the enzyme MAO-B and prevent dopamine from being broken down. 
Antiparkinson agents are used to treat Parkinson's disease, which is a degenerative disorder of movement that occurs due to dopamine deficiency in the brain, particularly in the basal ganglia.

bromocriptine
selegiline
cabergoline












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