L-dopa

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  levodopa \le`vo*do"pa\ (l[=e]`v[-o]*d[=o]"p[.a]), a. [Levo- +
     DOPA, dihydroxyphenylalanine.] (Chem. & Biochem.)
     A substance used as a therapy for {Parkinson's Disease}; the
     L form of Dopa; L-dihydroxyphenylalanine; L-hydroxytyrosine
     ({C9H11NO4}); also called {L-dopa}. In the body it is
     converted by the enzyme dopa-decarboxylase into dopamine, the


     form in which it is active in the brain, affecting neural
     impulse transmission.
     [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  L-dopa
       n : the levorotatory form of dopa (trade names Bendopa and
           Brocadopa and Larodopa); as a drug it is used to treat
           Parkinson's disease [syn: {levodopa}, {Bendopa}, {Brocadopa},
            {Larodopa}]