Galantamine action mechanisms

Pharmacology Galantamine is a competitive and reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. While the precise mechanism of galantamine s action is unknown, it may exert its therapeutic effect by enhancing cholinergic function. Pharmacokinetics ... 

Abstract Alzheimer s disease is an illness that affects not only the pahents themselves but also those around them. Traditionally, cholinesterase inhibitors have been the first-line medications used in treating Alzheimer s disease. There are currently fom approved cholinesterase inhibitors tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine. Each of these medications has a unique pharmacokinetic profile and mechanism of action. Researchers in the past 5-10 years have accumulated much data on the use of cholinesterase inhibitors. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors may preserve activities of daily living, slow progression of memory loss, and improve behavioral and cognitive symptoms associated with Alzheimer s and other related dementias. There is also some evidence to suggest that the efficacy in some cases may last more than a few years. In addition, there is some evidence that the use of cholinesterase inhibitors may be associated with reduction of caretaker stress. The use of cholinesterase inhibitor, however, does not drastically improve... 

As mentioned above, galantamine has two basic mechanisms of action. It reversibly inhibits cholinesterases, being approximately 50-fold more potent as an AChE inhibitor than a BuChE inhibitor. It also interacts directly with nAChRs, potentiating their activation by subsaturating concentrations of classical agonists (Pereira et al., 2002). 

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