Description: Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI). It works in the brain by increasing the levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is important for memory, learning, and other cognitive functions.

Indication: Galantamine is used for the treatment of mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.

Mechanism of Action: Galantamine works through a dual mechanism. First, it is a competitive and reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft. By inhibiting this enzyme, it increases the concentration of acetylcholine available to bind to receptors. Second, it is an allosteric potentiating ligand (APL) at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, meaning it binds to these receptors at a different site than acetylcholine, which enhances the receptor’s response to acetylcholine.