Benserazide (hydrochloride)

Benserazide hydrochloride (Serazide) is an aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and L-DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor. Benserazide hydrochloride is also a PKM2 inhibitor. Benserazide hydrochloride directly binds to and blocks PKM2 enzyme activity, leading to inhibition of aerobic glycolysis concurrent up-regulation of OXPHOS. Benserazide hydrochloride can be used for the study of Parkinson's disease and melanoma^[1][2][3]. In Vitro: Benserazide hydrochloride (BH) and Levodopa (LD) individually and in combination (Benserazide hydrochloride + LD) (25 μM; 0 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours and 168 hours; SH-SY5Y) treatment inhibit protein aggregation and have the ability to minimise the amyloid-induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma cell line. Benserazide hydrochloride and LD both can act as efficient inhibitors of the formation of cytotoxic HSA aggregates, and the inhibitory effects are more pronounced when both of these drugs are added simultaneously^[2]. In Vivo: Benserazide (5-50 mg/kg; intraperitoneal injection; male Wistar rats) treatment of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats increases exogenous L-DOPA-derived extracellular DA levels, the time to reach the peak DA levels are significantly prolong by Benserazide dose-dependently. The AADC activity in the denervates striatal tissues shows a significant decrease by 10 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg Benserazide. Benserazide reduces the central AADC activity in the striatum of rats with nigrostriatal denervation, which leads to changes in the metabolism of exogenous L-DOPA^[1].