Dopamine Generated from l-Dopa: Discrepancy Between Plasma Levels and Cardiac Effects 1

Abstract

Summary

Evidence has been presented in anesthetized dogs indicating that dopamine generated from l-dopa is predominantly in a pharmacologically inactive form whose identification is presently unknown, but there is some suggestion that it may be a labile conjugated derivative. The discrepancy between the high dopamine plasma levels after intravenous l-dopa administrations with the low cardiac contractile force responses were disclosed by comparison with the correlations obtained following dopamine infusions.