Galantamine was studied in the research cited in the patent application for use along with the well-recognized nerve agent antidote atropine. According to the investigators, an unexpected synergistic interaction occurred between galantamine and atropine in an amount of 6 mg/kg or higher. Increasing the dose of galantamine from 5 to 8 mg/kg decreased the dose of atropine needed to protect experimental animals from the toxicity of soman in dosages 1.5 times the dose generally required to kill half the experimental animals. Autism
Galantamine given in addition to risperidone to autistic children has been shown to improve some of the symptoms of autism such as irritability, lethargy, and social withdrawal. Additionally, the cholinergic and nicotinic receptors are believed to play a role in attentional processes. Some studies have noted that cholinergic and nicotinic treatments have improved attention in autistic children. As such, it is hypothesized that galantamines dual action mechanism might have a similar effect in treating autistic children and adolescents. Anesthesia
Galantamine may have some limited use in reducing the side-effects of anesthetics ketamine and diazepam. In one study, a control group of patients were given ketamine and diazepam and underwent anesthesia and surgery. The experimental group was given ketamine, diazepam, and nivalin (of which the active ingredient is galantamine). The degree of drowsiness and disorientation of the two groups was then assessed 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes after surgery. The group that had taken nivalin were found to be more alert 5, 10, and 15 minutes after the surgery.
Galantamine is used for the treatment of cognitive decline in mild to moderate Alzheimers disease and various other memory impairments. It is an alkaloid that has been isolated from the bulbs and flowers of Galanthus nivalis (Common snowdrop), Galanthus caucasicus (Caucasian snowdrop), Galanthus woronowii (Voronovs snowdrop), and some other members of the family Amaryllidaceae, such as Narcissus (daffodil), Leucojum aestivum (snowflake), and Lycoris including Lycoris radiata (red spider lily). It can also be produced synthetically. Studies of usage in modern medicine began in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. Galantamine was isolated for the first time from bulbs of Galanthus nivalis (common snowdrop) by the Bulgarian chemist D. Paskov and his team in 1956. The active ingredient was extracted, identified, and studied, in particular in relation to its acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-inhibiting properties. The first industrial process was developed in 1959. However, it was not until the 1990s when full-scale synthesis was upscaled and optimized.Since the alkaloid was isolated from a botanical source, it only had contents around 0.1%, which caused the yield to also be extremely low—in the single digits. Uses in mythology
In Homers Odyssey the god Hermes gives Odysseus a herb with "a black root, but milklike flower" called "moly", which Hermes claims will make Odysseus immune to the sorceress Circes drugs. It is believed that moly is the snowdrop Galanthus nivalis, which is a source of galantamine. The descriptions of moly given by Greek physician and herbalist Dioscorides support molys identity as Galanthus nivalis.