Entacapone

Entacapone is a selective, reversible catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitor for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. It is a member of the class of nitrocatechols. When administered concomittantly with levodopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor (e.g., carbidopa), increased and more sustained plasma levodopa concentrations are reached as compared to the administration of levodopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor. (In Vitro) :Entacapone (50 μM, 48 hours) enhances the amount of m6A on mRNA in Hep-G2 cells. It does not show any inhibitory effect on the enzymatic activity of the RNA m6A demethylase AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) or the ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 1 (TET1), nor does it alter the DNA methylation or histone methylation patterns in entacapone-treated Hep-G2 cells. (In Vivo) :Entacapone (oral administration; 600 mg/kg per day; 3-9 weeks) results in a dose-response effect dose-response effect. After 3 weeks, mouse body weight are decreased by 10.1% compared to controls, and shows similar food intake fat mass and fat mass ratio reduced after entacapone treatment. Entacapone also increases the energy expenditure of mice: reductions in total cholesterol (17.6%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (31.0%), and triglycerides (10.2%) in mice.