Molecular structure of memantine
Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Memantine

Memantine is the first in a novel class of Alzheimer's disease medications acting on the glutamatergic system. Memantine was developed by Merz and licensed to Forest for the U.S. and Lundbeck for selected European and international markets. Memantine is marketed under the brands Axura and Akatinol by Merz, Namenda by Forest and Ebixa by Lundbeck. more...

Home
Diseases
Medicines
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
Macrodantin
Maprotiline
Marcaine
Marezine
Marijuana
Marinol
Marplan
Matulane
Maxair
Maxalt
Maxolon
MDMA
Measurin
Mebendazole
Mebendazole
Meclofenoxate
Medrol
Mefenamic acid
Mefloquine
Melagatran
Melarsoprol
Meloxicam
Melphalan
Memantine
Metadate
Metamfetamine
Metamizole sodium
Metandienone
Metaxalone
Metenolone
Metformin
Methadone
Methamphetamine
Methaqualone
Metharbital
Methcathinone
Methenamine
Methionine
Methocarbamol
Methohexital
Methotrexate
Methotrexate
Methoxsalen
Methylcellulose
Methyldopa
Methylergometrine
Methylin
Methylphenidate
Methylphenobarbital
Methylprednisolone
Methyltestosterone
Methysergide
Metiamide
Metoclopramide
Metohexal
Metoprolol
Metrogel
Metronidazole
Metyrapone
Mobic
Moclobemide
Modafinil
Modicon
Monopril
Montelukast
Motrin
Moxidectin
Moxifloxacin
Moxonidine
MS Contin
Mucinex
Mucomyst
Mupirocin
Mupirocin
Muse
Mycitracin
Mycostatin
Myfortic
Mykacet
Mykinac
Myleran
Mylotarg
Mysoline
Phentermine
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Pharmacology

NMDA receptor

A dysfunction of glutamatergic neurotransmission, manifested as neuronal excitotoxicity, is involved in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease. Targeting the glutamatergic system, specifically NMDA receptors, offers a novel approach to treatment in view of the limited efficacy of existing drugs targeting the cholinergic system. (Cacabelos et al., 1999)

Memantine is a low-affinity voltage-dependent uncompetitive antagonist at glutamatergic NMDA receptors. By binding to the NMDA receptor with a higher affinity than Mg2+ ions, memantine is able to inhibit the prolonged influx of Ca2+ ions which forms the basis of neuronal excitotoxicity. The low-affinity of memantine, however, preserves the physiological function of the receptor as it can still be activated by the relatively high concentrations of glutamate released following depolarisation of the presynaptic neuron.

5-HT3

Memantine acts as an uncompetitive antagonist at the 5HT3 receptor, with a potency similar to that for the NMDA receptor. (Rammes et al., 2001) The clinical significance of this serotonergic activity in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is unknown.

Clinical use

Indications

Memantine is indicated for the treatment of the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. (Joint Formulary Committee, 2004; Rossi, 2006)

Memantine has been associated with a moderate decrease in clinical deterioration in Alzheimer's disease. (Rossi, 2006) A systematic review of randomised controlled trials found that memantine has a small positive effect on cognition, mood, behaviour, and the ability to perform daily activities in moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease, but an unknown effect in mild to moderate disease. (Areosa et al., 2005)

Memantine is also being tested for depression, glaucoma, and neuropathic pain.

Adverse drug reactions

Memantine is generally well-tolerated. (Areosa et al., 2005) Common adverse drug reactions (ADRs) include: confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, insomnia, agitation, and hallucinations. (Rossi, 2006) Less common ADRs include: vomiting, anxiety, hypertonia, cystitis, and increased libido. (Joint Formulary Committee, 2004)

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Memantine Slows Moderately Severe Alzheimer's - Brief Article
From Family Pratice News, 8/15/00 by Mary Ann Moon

WASHINGTON -- Memantine, a leading medication for dementia in Germany, slowed the progression of moderately severe Alzheimer's disease in a 6-month U.S. multicenter trial, Dr. Barry Reisberg reported at the World Alzheimer Congress.

Memantine itself is not currently available in the United States. In fact, no treatments for this stage of Alzheimer's disease are currently approved for use in this country.

"We finally have a treatment for the most needy population of Alzheimer's patients. There are perhaps 1 million people with moderately severe disease in the United States alone, so we now may be able to help a huge number of patients to some extent [if memantine is approved]," he said at the congress, also sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Disease International, and the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

"Ours is the first study that could be considered as a basis for [Food and Drug Administration] approval" of memantine, a compound that acts on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor system, said Dr. Reisberg, professor of psychiatry and clinical director of the Aging and Dementia Research Center at New York University, New York. The FDA generally requires "one more study of this type" to be completed before it considers approval, he noted.

In a 6-month trial, 252 patients who had moderate or moderately severe Alzheimer's disease--stage 5 or 6 on the Global Deterioration Scale--were enrolled at 32 sites throughout the United States.

Functionally, all of these patients were at stage 6, with difficulties in such basic daily life tasks as bathing, dressing, and continence. Their scores on the Mini-Mental State Exam ranged from 3 to 14, Dr. Reisberg said.

The patients were randomly assigned to receive either 10-mg tablets of memantine twice a day or placebo. They were not taking any concomitant medications known to act on cognition and were not taking agents such as neuroleptics, anxiolytics, or hypnotics.

After 6 months, the treated patients showed a significantly slower progression of disease than the patients receiving placebo on several measures of global clinical status, function in the activities of daily living and cognition.

But memantine did not reverse any already existing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Memantine was safe and well tolerated, and no adverse effects were observed, he said.

Dr. Reisberg noted that his findings show that the NMDA neurotransmitter system is a promising target for other Alzheimer's treatments and perhaps for dementias and memory disorders in general. Unlike memantine, all the currently approved treatments for Alzheimer's disease in the United States act on the cholinergic neurotransmitter system.

Memantine is thought to work on the NMDA system presynaptically by modulating glutaminergic transmission and postsynaptically as an antagonist of the NMDA receptor.

The NMDA receptor is known to be involved in long-term potentiation, which occurs when the postsynaptic neuron produces a memory trace, and "it has been considered a promising target for Alzheimer's therapy" Dr. Reisberg said.

He reminded the audience that the burden of Alzheimer's disease peaks at the moderately severe stage of the disease.

"The burden on families is such that most patients are institutionalized at the end of this stage, and we can assume that the burden on patients also peaks here because behavioral disturbances reach their height at this stage," he said.

COPYRIGHT 2000 International Medical News Group
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group

Return to Memantine
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay