Sodium oxybate: efficacy, safety and tolerability in the treatment of narcolepsy with or without cataplexy.

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Owen RT

Sodium oxybate: efficacy, safety and tolerability in the treatment of narcolepsy with or without cataplexy.

Drugs Today (Barc). 2008 Mar;44(3):197-204. doi: 10.1358/dot.2008.44.3.1162240.

PubMed ID

18536781 [ View in PubMed

]

Abstract

Sodium oxybate is the sodium salt of gamma- hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous cerebral inhibitory neurotransmitter. It is licensed in the United States for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy and in the European Union for the treatment of narcolepsy with cataplexy. Its mode of action is uncertain, but it increases 5-hydroxytryptamine turnover, interacts with opioid systems and may act as a gamma-aminobutyric acid B receptor agonist (GABA(B)). It is rapidly absorbed and eliminated, having a mean elimination half-life of 30-60 minutes. In controlled trials in narcolepsy without cataplexy, it decreased excessive daytime sleepiness and increased several quality of life domains. In combination with modafinil, it exerted an additive effect in diminishing daytime sleepiness. Both acute (four to eight weeks) and chronic (12 months) studies have demonstrated sodium oxybate's efficacy in decreasing cataplectic attack frequency. It is well tolerated with adverse event withdrawal rates of approximately 3-10% after acute and chronic administration. There is no clear evidence of a withdrawal syndrome after abrupt cessation of therapeutic doses. Sodium oxybate appears to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for all the key symptoms of the two forms of narcolepsy.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Sodium oxybate	GABA(B) Receptor (Protein Group)	Protein group		Unknown	Agonist	Details