How does L-Dopa help in Parkinson’s disease?
History of the discovery of L-dopa and how levodopa changed the treatment of Parkinson’s disease The introduction of L-Dopa has been a landmark for Parkinson’s disease. Before using L-Dopa, Parkinson’s disease was considered a disabling condition with no effective treatment. Even though different molecules have been extensively tested to treat Parkinson’s disease, L-Dopa’s development was a turning point in neurology and medical research against Parkinson’s. In 1913, young Swiss chemist Markus Guggenheim was the first to isolate L-dopa (precursor of dopamine) from Vicia faba plants. He also conducted a self-experiment where he ingested 2.5 g of L-dopa and felt very…