Piribedil


Piribedil is an antiparkinsonian agent and piperazine derivative which acts as a D2 and D3 receptor agonist. It also has α2-adrenergic antagonist properties.

Indications

The drug has been shown to enhance working memory capacities in normal aging adults.
In age-related memory impairment, it has a positive effect on psychophysiological state of elderly people, improving memory and attention and increasing the velocity of psychomotor reactions and lability of nervous processes.
It enhances cognitive skill learning in healthy older adults.
It showed a positive effect in restless legs syndrome.

Dosage

Parkinson's disease

Administration of piribedil should be initiated with one sustained-release tablet daily during the first week. Dosage should then be gradually increased every week until achieving the optimal therapeutic dose:
One tablet daily at the end of the main meal. In severe cases: two tablets daily in two doses.

Adverse effects

As with other dopamine agonists, compulsive behavior like pathological gambling, overeating, excessive shopping, increased libido, sexual and/or other intense urges, may develop.
Another rare side effect of piribedil is excessive daytime sleepiness and unintended sleep episodes.

Interactions

s reduce the effect of piribedil.

Overdose

At very high doses, piribedil has an emetic action on the chemoreceptor trigger zone. Tablets will thus be rapidly rejected, which explains why no data are currently available concerning the risk of overdosage.

Receptor affinities