Clinical Drug Experience Knowledgebase

Pergolide is a long-acting dopamine agonist approved in 1982 for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. It is an ergot derivative that acts on the dopamine D2 and D3, alpha2- and alpha1-adrenergic, and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors. It was indicated as adjunct therapy with levodopa/carbidopa in the symptomatic treatment of parkinsonian syndrome. It was later found that pergolide increased the risk of cardiac valvulopathy. The drug was withdrawn from the US market in March 2007 and from the Canadian market in August 2007. Pergolide stimulates centrally-located dopaminergic receptors resulting in a number of pharmacologic effects. Five dopamine receptor types from two dopaminergic subfamilies have been identified. The dopaminergic D1 receptor subfamily consists of D1 and D5 subreceptors and are associated with dyskinesias. The dopaminergic D2 receptor subfamily consists of D2, D3 and D4 subreceptors and has been associated with improvement of symptoms of movement disorders. Thus, agonist activity specific for D2 subfamily receptors, primarily D2 and D3 receptor subtypes, are the primary targets of dopaminergic antiparkinsonian agents. It is thought that postsynaptic D2 stimulation is primarily responsible for the antiparkinsonian effect of dopamine agonists, while presynaptic D2 stimulation confers neuroprotective effects. This semisynthetic ergot derivative exhibits potent agonist activity on dopamine D2- and D3-receptors. It also exhibits agonist activity on dopamine D4, D1, and D5, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, α2A-, α2B-, α2C-, α1A-, α1B-, and α1D-adrenergic receptors. Parkinsonian Syndrome manifests when approximately 80% of dopaminergic activity in the nigrostriatal pathway of the brain is lost. As this striatum is involved in modulating the intensity of coordinated muscle activity (e.g. movement, balance, walking), loss of activity may result in dystonia (acute muscle contraction), Parkinsonism (including symptoms of bradykinesia, tremor, rigidity, and flattened affect), akathesia (inner restlessness), tardive dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movements usually associated with long-term loss of dopaminergic activity), and neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which manifests when complete blockage of nigrostriatal dopamine occurs. High dopaminergic activity in the mesolimbic pathway of the brain causes hallucinations and delusions; these side effects of dopamine agonists are manifestations seen in patients with schizophrenia who have overractivity in this area of the brain. The hallucinogenic side effects of dopamine agonists may also be due to 5-HT2A agonism. The tuberoinfundibular pathway of the brain originates in the hypothalamus and terminates in the pituitary gland. In this pathway, dopamine inhibits lactotrophs in anterior pituitary from secreting prolactin. Increased dopaminergic activity in the tuberoinfundibular pathway inhibits prolactin secretion. Pergolide also causes transient increases in somatotropin (growth hormone) secretion and decreases in luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations. Pergolide is not available for use by humans in the United States, but approved for veterinary use; it was used in various other countries for the treatment of various conditions including Parkinson's disease, hyperprolactinemia, and restless leg syndrome. Pergolide in Europe was indicated for Parkinson's disease only when other dopaminergic agonist treatments had failed, and treatment had to be initiated by a neurologist. The label warned against using doses of more than 5mg a day, whether alone or in combination with levodopa. However the marketing of this drug finally stopped in France in May 2011 and sales elsewhere in Europe ceased eventually.   ^NCATS