310
Views
11
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Drug Evaluations

The pharmacokinetic evaluation of selegiline ODT for the treatment of Parkinson's disease

, PhD (Assistant Professor) , , PhD DSc (Full Professor) , , MD PhD DSc (Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Full Professor, Head of the Department of Neurology) & , MD PhD DSc (Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Full Professor)
Pages 629-636 | Published online: 19 Mar 2013
 

Abstract

Introduction: Parkinson's disease affects a growing number of people. Its major treatment, levodopa therapy, however suffers from response fluctuations in the advanced phase of the disease. Adjunctive therapies have thus gained significant importance. The selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, selegiline, is widely used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, selegiline's pharmacokinetics has so far been unfavorable due to its extensive first-pass metabolism to its amphetamine metabolites. A new formulation, an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT), has recently been introduced to overcome these pharmacokinetic problems by avoiding its presystemic metabolism.

Areas covered: The authors summarize the pharmacokinetic and clinical efficacy data of selegiline ODT and compare them with the more conventional oral selegiline. This evaluation also presents and compares the drug's safety data.

Expert opinion: Selegiline ODT shows a clear pharmacokinetic advantage over the conventional form. It is characterized by improved bioavailability allowing dose reduction and a lower exposure to amphetamine metabolites. This pharmacokinetic improvement, however, is not accompanied with significant clinical advantage, since its efficacy and safety profile are comparable to those of the conventional formulation. This suggests that the metabolites do not participate significantly in the therapeutic or toxic effects of selegiline. On the basis of the available data, the only well-justified advantage of the ODT formulation is its convenient use in parkinsonian patients who have difficulties in swallowing the regular formulation.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 99.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 727.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.