Anti-Parkinsonism drug that is a selective COMT inhibitor
High-Yield Explanation
Inhibitors of COMT increase the elimination half-life of levodopa and enhance its brain availability. Combining levodopa with a COMT inhibitor reduces "off" time and prolongs "on" time in fluctuating patients while enhancing motor scores. Two COMT inhibitors have been approved, tolcapone and entacapone. Reference: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine; 19th edition; Chapter 449; Parkinson's Disease and Other Movement Disorders