1. Safinamide for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
- Author
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Kandadai RM, Jabeen SA, Kanikannan MA, and Borgohain R
- Subjects
- Alanine adverse effects, Alanine pharmacology, Alanine therapeutic use, Animals, Antiparkinson Agents adverse effects, Antiparkinson Agents pharmacology, Benzylamines adverse effects, Benzylamines pharmacology, Disease Progression, Dopamine metabolism, Dopamine Agents pharmacology, Dopamine Agents therapeutic use, Drug Therapy, Combination, Humans, Levodopa administration & dosage, Levodopa adverse effects, Levodopa therapeutic use, Parkinson Disease physiopathology, Alanine analogs & derivatives, Antiparkinson Agents therapeutic use, Benzylamines therapeutic use, Parkinson Disease drug therapy
- 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.
- Published
- 2014
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