Details

Riluzole works by decreasing your body's levels of glutamate, an amino acid that affects nerves that send messages from your brain to your muscles. People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may have very high levels of glutamate, which can damage these nerve cells. Riluzole is used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. Riluzole is not a cure for ALS, but it may delay progression of the disease and prolong your life. To make sure riluzole is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have liver disease. Riluzole can cause liver problems, especially in women, older adults, and people with a history of liver disease, or people using certain other medications harmful to the liver, such as: antibiotics or antifungal medication antiviral or HIV/AIDS medicine birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy pain or arthritis medications. Do not give this medication to anyone under 18 years old without medical advice.

Typical Uses

Riluzole is used to treat a certain type of nerve disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease). Riluzole helps to slow down the worsening of this disease and prolong survival. However, it is not a cure for ALS, and it does not reverse nerve damage or muscle weakness. Riluzole is thought to work by protecting the nerves in the brain and spinal cord from too much of a natural substance called glutamate that may be part of the cause of nerve damage.

Side Effects

Common riluzole side effects may include sudden chest pain or discomfort, wheezing, dry cough or hack, feeling short of breath cough with mucus, stabbing chest pain low white blood cells-fever, swollen gums, painful mouth sores, pain when swallowing, cold or flu symptoms or liver problems-nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Drug Interactions

• Riluzole+leflunomide- Leflunomide may cause liver problems, and using it with other medications that can also affect the liver such as riluzole may increase that risk. Because leflunomide can stay in your blood for a prolonged period after the last dose, interactions with other drugs may occur for some time even after you have stopped taking it. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications.
• Riluzole+lomitapide- Lomitapide may cause liver problems, and using it with other medications that can also affect the liver such as riluzole may increase that risk. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol to no more than one drink per day while being treated with these medications.
• Riluzole+mipomersen- Mipomersen may cause liver problems, and using it with other medications that can also affect the liver such as riluzole may increase that risk. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol to no more than one drink per day while being treated with these medications.
• Riluzole+teriflunomide- Teriflunomide may cause liver problems, and using it with other medications that can also affect the liver such as riluzole may increase that risk. Because teriflunomide can stay in your blood for a prolonged period after the last dose, interactions with other drugs may occur for some time even after you have stopped taking it. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications.

Mechanism of action

Riluzole belongs to the class of drugs called benzothiazoles. It works by stopping the release of glutamate (a chemical messenger) which causes the destruction of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, thereby, preventing the damage of nerve cells and helping in prolonging survival and/or delaying the need for surgery to facilitate breathing (tracheostomy).

Pregnancy Category : C