Nimodipine is a calcium channel blocker used to improve neurological outcomes in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. It acts primarily on vascular smooth muscle cells by stabilizing voltage-gated L-type calcium channels in their inactive conformation.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
Although the precise mechanism of action is not known, nimodipine blocks intracellular influx of calcium through voltage-dependent and receptor-operated slow calcium channels across the membranes of myocardial, vascular smooth muscle, and neuronal cells. By specifically binding to L-type voltage-gated calcium channels, nimodipine inhibits the calcium ion transfer, resulting in the inhibition of vascular smooth muscle contraction. Evidence suggests that the dilation of small cerebral resistance vessels, with a resultant increase in collateral circulation, and/or a direct effect involving the prevention of calcium overload in neurons may be responsible for nimodipine's clinical effect in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.
- Primary indication
- For use as an adjunct to improve neurologic outcome following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from ruptured intracranial berry aneurysms by reducing the incidence and severity of ischemic deficits.Curator reviewed · 1 structured indication
- Formula / weight
- C21H26N2O7 · 418.4403 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2025 · United States, 1988
- Code names
- BAY-E-9736
- Brand names
Resolves to
UIAGMCDKSXEBJQ-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESCOCCOC(=O)C1=C(C)NC(C)=C(C1C1=CC(=CC=C1)[N+]([O-])=O)C(=O)OC(C)CWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Nimodipine, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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