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Memantine
Medication used to treat Alzheimer's disease / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Memantine, sold under the brand name Axura among others, is a medication used to slow the progression of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease.[7][8] It is taken by mouth.[7]
Quick Facts Clinical data, Trade names ...
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Trade names | Axura, Ebixa, Namenda, others[1] |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a604006 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth |
Drug class | NMDA receptor antagonist |
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Bioavailability | ~100% |
Metabolism | Liver (<10%) |
Elimination half-life | 60–100 hours |
Excretion | Kidney |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.217.937 ![]() |
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Formula | C12H21N |
Molar mass | 179.307 g·mol−1 |
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Common side effects include headache, constipation, sleepiness, and dizziness.[7][8] Severe side effects may include blood clots, psychosis, and heart failure.[8] It is believed to work by acting on NMDA receptors, working as pore blockers of these ion channels.[7]
Memantine was approved for medical use in the United States in 2003.[7] It is available as a generic medication.[8] In 2021, it was the 170th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3 million prescriptions.[9][10]