1. Profile of blonanserin for the treatment of schizophrenia
- Author
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Yuriko Ninomiya, Noboru Yamaguchi, Shin Ogino, Rei Kitajima, Nobumi Miyake, Tomomi Tenjin, and Seiya Miyamoto
- Subjects
safety ,Risperidone ,business.industry ,medicine.medical_treatment ,efficacy ,Antagonist ,blonanserin ,Blonanserin ,Review ,Pharmacology ,medicine.disease ,schizophrenia ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Schizophrenia ,Dopamine receptor D2 ,Haloperidol ,medicine ,Serotonin ,pharmacology ,business ,Antipsychotic ,pharmacokinetics ,Biological Psychiatry ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Blonanserin was developed as an antipsychotic drug in Japan and approved for the treatment of schizophrenia. It belongs to a series of 4-phenyl-2-(1-piperazinyl)pyridines and acts as an antagonist at dopamine D2, D3, and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. Blonanserin has low affinity for 5-HT2C, adrenergic α1, histamine H1, and muscarinic M1 receptors, but displays relatively high affinity for 5-HT6 receptors. In several short-term double-blind clinical trials, blonanserin had equal efficacy as haloperidol and risperidone for positive symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia and was also superior to haloperidol for improving negative symptoms. Blonanserin is generally well tolerated and has a low propensity to cause metabolic side effects and prolactin elevation. We recently reported that blonanserin can improve some types of cognitive function associated with prefrontal cortical function in patients with first-episode and chronic schizophrenia. Taken together, these results suggest that blonanserin may be a promising candidate for a first-line antipsychotic for acute and maintenance therapy for schizophrenia. Further comparative studies are warranted to clarify the benefit/risk profile of blonanserin and its role in the treatment of schizophrenia.
- Published
- 2013