Article: Ropinirole

Ropinirole
Systematic (IUPAC) name
4-(2-dipropylaminoethyl)-1,3-dihydroindol-2-one
Identifiers
CAS number	91374-21-9
ATC code	N04BC04
PubChem	5095
DrugBank	APRD00302
Chemical data
Formula	C16H24N2O
Mol. weight	260.375 g/mol
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	?
Metabolism	?
Half life	6 hours
Excretion	?
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	C
Legal status	℞ Prescription only
Routes	Oral

Ropinirole (marketed as Requip®) is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and is also the only medication in the United States with an FDA-approved indication for the treatment of restless legs syndrome.

Dosing

Requip is available in various preparations, ranging from the .25mg tablet to the 5mg tablet. The primary reason for such is dose titration. This implies that the person taking ReQuip has to closely interact and communicate with the Personal Care Physician with regard to how much should actually be taken by the patient.

For Restless Legs Syndrome or RLS, the maximum recommended dose is 4mg per day, taken 1 to 3 hours before bedtime.

For Parkinson's Disease or PD, the maximum recommended dose is 24mg per day, taken in three separate doses spread throughout the day.

Restless Leg Syndrome

• Week 1
  • Day 1-2 0.25mg
  • Day 3-7 0.5mg
• Week 2 1mg
• Week 3 1.5mg
• Week 4 2mg
• Week 5 2.5mg
• Week 6 3mg
• Week 7 4mg

Parkison's Disease

Mechanism

Ropinirole binds to D3 receptors, acting as an agonist.

Controversies

Restless legs syndrome is a syndrome which is believed by some to have been fabricated by pharmaceutical companies and the studies they fund in order to make the American people think they need more medication. It has been aggressively marketed through television commercials which use vague wording to convince people they may have this disorder.