Safinamide for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a complex interaction of loss of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems. Drugs acting on the dopaminergic pathways are the mainstay of treatment for motor symptoms today. Safinamide (NW-1015) is a novel drug with multiple actions. It is a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor and improves dopaminergic transmission. In addition, it has antiglutamatergic effects and can thus reduce dyskinesias, which is a side effect limiting most dopaminergic therapy. In Phase III trials, safinamide has been found to be a useful adjunctive to dopamine agonists in early PD and has been shown to increase time without increasing troublesome dyskinesias when used as an adjunct to levodopa in patients with advanced PD. A possible neuroprotective role in inhibiting PD disease progression is envisaged and warrants future studies.

• Authors: Rukmini Mridula Kandadai, Shaik Afshan Jabeen, Meena A Kanikannan, Rupam Borgohain
• Journal: Expert review of clinical pharmacology (Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol) Vol. 7 Issue 6 Pg. 747-59 (Nov 2014) ISSN: 1751-2441 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25300164 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antiparkinson Agents
• Benzylamines
• Dopamine Agents
• Levodopa
• safinamide
• Alanine
• Dopamine

Topics

• Alanine (adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Antiparkinson Agents (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Benzylamines (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Disease Progression
• Dopamine (metabolism)
• Dopamine Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Humans
• Levodopa (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Parkinson Disease (drug therapy, physiopathology)