Therapeutic experiences with an abeorphine derivative in Parkinson's disease.
Marked improvement of the clinical state owing to CI 201-678 treatment was seen in six patients; no definite improvement was achieved in three patients. Daily fluctuations were improved in two patients. CI 201-678 demonstrated a good effect against rigidity, impairment of gait and posture, as well as impaired self-care, although daily levodopa dosage was concomitantly reduced. In two patients, CI 201-678 was discontinued because of side-effects, while one patient stopped treatment for reasons not related to the drug. In contrast to apomorphine and other dopamimetic substances, the emetic side-effect of CI 201-678 is minimal (nausea in one patient). no arterial hypotension was not seen. It has to be mentioned that the two drug-related drop-outs were receiving CI 201-678 in a rapidly increasing dosage. It is likely that the side-effects would have been less pronounced if the dosage had been more slowly increased. However, the preliminary results indicate that CI 201-678 is a promising substance for the treatment of patients with predominant rigid-akinetic symptomatology, in combination with levodopa therapy or in the place of levodopa.