Gabapentin Enacarbil: Pharmacotherapy of Restless Legs Syndrome

Journal of Central Nervous System Disease

Review

Ruth Jones¹  Hugh Rickards¹  Andrea Eugenio Cavanna² 

[1] Department of Neuropsychiatry, BSMHFT and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.;Department of Neuropsychiatry, BSMHFT and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.; Department of Neurology, UHB and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.; Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK.;

关键词: restless legs syndrome;    pharmacotherapy;    gabapentin;    gabapentin enacarbil;   

DOI  :  10.4137/JCNSD.S4886

来源: Sage Journals

【 摘 要 】

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a prevalent sleep-associated movement disorder greatly affecting patients’ quality of life (QoL). Several drugs can be used to control this condition although the first-line dopamine agents often cause adverse effects. Non-dopaminergic drugs such as oral gabapentin (GBP) have been more recently advocated. Despite ameliorating RLS symptoms, GBP's pharmacokinetic limitations restrict its overall effectiveness. A novel specifically designed prodrug, gabapentin enacarbil (GE), has demonstrated successful RLS alleviation with a superior pharmacokinetic profile. This review aims to examine the efficacy and tolerability of both GBP and GE as pharmacotherapy for RLS. Despite some heterogeneity and limitations across research methodologies, GE appears to be a potential RLS therapy superior to GBP and other dopaminergic agents.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC   
© 2010 SAGE Publications.