Administration of levodopa for relief of herpes zoster pain.

Forty-seven outpatients with herpes zoster, seen within five days of onset of the eruption, received ten days' administration of oral levodopa and benserazide or placebo in a double-blind controlled study. Both the total patient group and high-risk group, eg, those with either ophthalmic zoster or those older than 65 years, were analyzed. Both groups were comparable in terms of demographic and pathological criteria. Vomiting was the only side effect observed in both groups. A significant decrease in intensity of pain was seen in the group receiving levodopa from the third day, and complete cessation of both pain and sleep disturbances was more frequent in the patients. Two months later, postherpetic neuralgia was also less frequent in the group that received levodopa.