Rasagiline(Azilect)
What is Azilect or Rasagiline?
Azilect Rasagiline is a new medication which is used to treat Parkinsons disease either as monotherapy (by itself) or in addition to levodopa therapy. Azilect - Rasagiline was developed in Israel by Teva Pharmaceuticals. It has been approved for sale in Israel and is currently being sold  from IsraMeds under the brand name Azilect.

IsraMeds owns the pharmacies in Israel that are the cheepest source for rasagiline, this allows us to offer a lowest price guarantee on Rasagiline! Please note all other pharmacies are actually intermediaries(middleman) that purchase Rasagiline from us(Israel). 

How does Azilect Rasagiline work?
In Parkinsons disease there is a loss of cells producing dopamine in certain areas in the brain. Rasagiline (Azilect) promotes increased and sustained levels of dopamine in these areas. Rasagiline does this by selectively inhibiting an enzyme called monoamine oxidase-B. This enzyme breaks down dopamine in the central nervous system. Inhibition of monamine oxidase-B reverses the depletion of dopamine, which is responsible for symptoms of Parkinson's disease such as tremor, slowness of movement and rigidity.

The main advantage of Azilect Rasagiline over medications with similar mechanisms of action such as selegiline is that rasagiline breaks down and is eliminated in the body without producing any undesirable metabolites.

Several studieshave shown that Rasagiline (Azilect) holds much promise for Parkinsons patients. The LARGO trial showed that patients treated with Azilect Rasagiline experienced an average reduction in "off" time of 1.2 hours daily when compared to placebo. They also showed significant improvement in the major symptoms of Parkinsons disease.
The PRESTO study showed that patients treated with Rasagiline (Azilect) experienced an average reduction in "off" time of 1.85 hours daily, a significant reduction compared to placebo. Azilect Rasagiline significantly improved the Parkinsons symptoms when compared to the placebo group. Click herefor more information about the PRESTO study.

What is the usual dosage of Azilect Rasagiline?
Rasagiline (Azilect) is available as a 1mg tablet. The usual dosage is 1mg per day, taken with or without food. There is no need to adjust the dosage for elderly patients. Any patients with liver function impairment should not take rasagiline. There does not need to be an adjustment of dosage for patients with kidney function impairment.

Does Azilect Rasagiline interact with any other medications?
Patients taking MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitors or pethidine should not take rasagiline (Azilect). There should be a minimum of 14 days from the stoppage of rasagiline and the beginning of treatment with MAO inhibitors or pethidine.

Azilect Rasagiline should not be administered at the same time as fluoxetine or fluvoxamine. Use of rasagiline with any other antidepressants should be approached with caution. Dextromethorphan or decongestants such as pseudoephedrine should also be avoided.

Because of the manner Azilect Rasagiline is removed from the body, there may also be interactions with medications such as ciprofloxacin, theophylline, entacapone, and other medications. Before starting rasagiline, patients should inform their prescriber of all medications that they take.

Does Azilect Rasagiline have any side effects?
Rasagiline (Azilect) is generally well tolerated. However, all medications can potentially have side effects. Some side effects that appeared in clinical trials with rasagiline include: headache, flu-like symptoms, malaise, neck pain, stomach irritation, depression, conjunctivitis, postural hypotension, constipation, vomiting, weight loss, joint pain, abdominal pain, and dyskinesia. This is not a complete list, but a list of some of the more common side effects reported. 

What about Azilect Rasagiline in pregnancy?
There are no documented studies regarding the use of rasagiline in pregnancy or in breast-feeding mothers. 

Note: Azilect Rasagiline is still under investigation in the United States and has not been approved by the FDA. Please note that rasagiline will be sold under the brand name Agilect in the United States upon its approval.

What if I have more questions?
Consult with your physician or pharmacist. Our pharmacists at IsraMeds.com are available for further information. call us TOLL FREE 1-866-477-2289. or call us internationally at 972-8947-4353

The information is intended to help provide a broad understanding of the topic and should not be considered complete. It cannot replace a consultation with a licensed health care professional. Do not practice self-management of medical conditions.