====== Donepezil ======

//Donepezil// is a prescription-only drug used to alleviate some of the symptoms of [[content:medicine:diseases:a-f:alzheimers|Alzheimer's]] disease. There are currently around 5 million prescriptions per year in the US alone. It's sold under the brand names of //Aricept//, //Namzaric// and others.

It's known that the drug is a centrally-acting inhibitor of enzymes called cholinesterases.

>Donepezil binds reversibly to acetylcholinesterase, preventing acetylcholine hydrolysis, thereby increasing the availability of acetylcholine at the synapses and enhancing cholinergic transmission.
>\\ Source : [[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513257/|StatPearls 2023]]{{:oa_padlock_grn.png?16}}

But the specific 'mechanism of action' with regard to Alzheimer's is currently unknown, and is currently thought to possibly also involve 'noncholinergic' mechanisms.

>In addition to its cholinergic effects, some noncholinergic mechanisms have been proposed for donepezil. Notably, the drug upregulates nicotinic receptors in cortical neurons, which may contribute to its neuroprotective properties.
>\\ [ Source as above ]

Further reading, see: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donepezil|Wikipedia]]