Treatment of Parkinson's disease with 8-alpha-amino-ergoline, CU 32-085.

8-alpha-amino-ergoline (CU 32-085) is a dopamine receptor agonist that should have fewer side effects than most other dopamine agonists. We studied the effect of this drug in 19 parkinsonian patients. In untreated or levodopa-treated patients, there was considerable improvement of akinesia, rigidity, and tremor; on-off symptoms also improved in the levodopa-treated patients. In patients pretreated with levodopa/bromocriptine, about half the dose of CU 32-085 was necessary to obtain the same therapeutic results, but there was no further improvement of on-off symptoms. Side effects were less pronounced than with bromocriptine; no circulatory disturbances and no psychotic episodes were observed.