Journal of Drug Metabolism & Toxicology
Open Access

Department of Pharmacokinetics, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, Kyoto, Japan

Publications

• Mini Review   
  Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Characteristics of Donepezil: From Animal Models to Human Applications
  Author(s): Akiko Kiriyama*
  
  Alzheimer's disease is associated with a decline in Acetylcholine (ACh) levels, leading to cognitive impairment. Donepezil, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, treats Alzheimer's disease by slowing ACh degradation, thus decelerating symptom progression. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of donepezil have been studied in experimental animals and humans, providing insights into its distribution, metabolism and excretion. Donepezil rapidly crosses the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) and is primarily metabolized in the liver, with metabolites showing minimal brain permeability. In rats, the maximum concentration of donepezil in the brain occurs two hours after administration, and the increase in ACh in the brain roughly coincides with plasma levels. Similar linear pharmacokinetics have also been observed in humans. However, species-specific differences in hepatic meta.. View More»
  DOI: 10.35248/2157-7609.24.15.350

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