Rimantadine
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Rimantadine (INN, sold under the trade name Flumadine) is an orally administered antiviral drugused to treat, and in rare cases prevent, Influenzavirus A infection. When taken within one to two days of developing symptoms, rimantadine can shorten the duration and moderate the severity of influenza. It is a derivate of adamantane, like a similar drug amantadine. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994.
Category
Antiviral
US Brand Names
Flumadine®
FDA Package Insert
Description | Clinical Pharmacology | Microbiology | Indications and Usage | Contraindications | Warnings and Precautions | Adverse Reactions | Drug Interactions | Overdosage | Dosage and Administration | How Supplied | Labels and Packages
Mechanism of Action
The mechanism of action of rimantadine is not fully understood. Rimantadine appears to exert its inhibitory effect early in the viral replicative cycle, possibly inhibiting the uncoating of the virus. Genetic studies suggest that a virus protein specified by the virion M2 gene plays an important role in the susceptibility of influenza A virus to inhibition by rimantadine.