title: Ramelteon: profile of a new sleep-promoting medication.
abstract: To date the mainstay of the pharmacological treatment of insomnia has involved the modulation of the gabaminergic system via benzodiazepines or the Z-drugs, zolpidem, zopiclone or zaleplon. A new approach has explored the melatoninergic system, namely activation of MT1 and MT2 receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Ramelteon (TAK-375) is a novel sleep-promoting agent that acts as an agonist at these receptors; its preclinical pharmacology, mode of action, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, clinical efficacy, and safety and tolerability are reviewed here.
authors.affiliation: Medical Information Department, Prous Science, Barcelona, Spain. journals@prous.com
authors.forename: Richard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Owen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007192:Indenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D044122:Receptor, Melatonin, MT1 / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2 / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D012890:Sleep; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007192:Indenes; D044122:Receptor, Melatonin, MT1; D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2; C495910:ramelteon