Which of the following is used for treatment of Alzheimer's disease?
High-Yield Explanation
Tacrine (tetrahydroaminoacridine, THA), a long-acting cholinesterase inhibitor and muscarinic modulator, was the first drug shown to have any benefit in Alzheimer's disease. Because of its hepatic toxicity, tacrine has been almost completely replaced in clinical use by newer cholinesterase inhibitors: donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine. These agents are orally active, have adequate penetration into the central nervous system, and are much less toxic than tacrine. Although evidence for the benefit of cholinesterase inhibitors (and memantine; see below) is statistically significant, the clinical benefit from these drugs is modest and temporary Ref: Katzung 11th edition Chapter 60.