Revised SPC: Madopar (levodopa/benserazide) 200mg/50mg Hard Capsules

SPC notes capsules should be taken 30 min before or one hour after meals (previously stated with, or immediately after, meals). New information added to the ‘Warnings related to interactions’ section includes advice on use with antipsychotics, sympathomimetics, and others.

SPS commentary:

Restless Legs Syndrome: The development of augmentation (time shift of symptoms from the evening/night into the early afternoon and evening before taking the next nightly dose, is the most common adverse effect of dopaminergic long-term treatment.

The SPC also now advises that undesirable gastrointestinal effects can largely be controlled by taking Madopar with a low protein snack (previously stated ‘some food’) or liquid or by increasing the dose slowly. This update is due to the fact that levodopa is a large neutral amino acid (LNAA) and it competes with LNAAs from dietary protein for transport across the gastric mucosa and blood-brain barrier.

Source:

electronic Medicines compendium