Biological sources of L-DOPA: An alternative approach

Parkinson’s disease was first formally identified by British physician James Parkinson in 1817 as “The Shaking Palsy”. L-DOPA (3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl-L-alanine) has been considered as a gold-standard treatment for Parkinson’s disease. The world market for L-DOPA is about 250 t/year and the total market volume is about $101 billion per year. The present review summarizes the different biological sources for the production of L-DOPA. The process for L-DOPA production from different biological sources has advantages over the chemical methods such as, enantiometrically pure L-DOPA, less incubation time and cost effective method. L-DOPA is found naturally in certain plant foods, particularly broad beans which found to replenish brain levels of L-DOPA even more quickly, and for longer periods, than conventional medication.