Description: Rivastigmine is a medication used to treat mild to moderate dementia in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. It is a type of drug known as a cholinesterase inhibitor. Rivastigmine is available in oral forms (capsules, solution) and as a transdermal patch.

Indication: Rivastigmine is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of:

• Mild to moderately severe dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Mild to moderate dementia in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Mechanism of Action: The primary function of rivastigmine is to increase the levels of acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter crucial for memory, attention, and other cognitive functions. In Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, there is a deficiency of acetylcholine due to the degeneration of cholinergic neurons.

Rivastigmine works by inhibiting two key enzymes responsible for breaking down acetylcholine:

• Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
• Butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE)

By inhibiting these enzymes, rivastigmine slows the degradation of acetylcholine, allowing it to remain in the synaptic clefts for a longer period. This increased concentration of acetylcholine helps to improve communication between nerve cells, which in turn can lead to an improvement in cognitive symptoms like memory loss and confusion. Rivastigmine is a pseudo-irreversible inhibitor, meaning its binding to the enzymes lasts longer than with a reversible inhibitor, providing a sustained therapeutic effect.