Carbenoxolone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Carbenoxolone
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| Systematic (IUPAC) name | |
| Carbenoxolone | |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | |
| ATC code | A02 |
| PubChem | |
| DrugBank | |
| Chemical data | |
| Formula | C34H50O7 |
| Mol. mass | 570.765 g/mol |
| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | ? |
| Metabolism | ? |
| Half life | ? |
| Excretion | ? |
| Therapeutic considerations | |
| Pregnancy cat. |
? |
| Legal status | |
| Routes | ? |
Carbenoxolone, a synthetic derivative of glycyrrhizinic acid, is a licensed drug (in the UK) for oesophageal ulceration and inflammation. Other uses include treatment of oral and perioral lesions.
Carbenoxolone (aka Carbenoxylone, CBX) is also finding increasing use as a Connexon (a hemichannel made up of 6 connexin subunits) blocker and as a Gap Junction (2 connexons join together) blocker.
Carbenoxolone has also been investigated for nootropic effects (PMID 15071189). This research started from an observation that long-term exposure to glucocorticoids may have negative effects on cognition. Carbenoxolone may decrease the amount of active glucocortocoid in the brain, because the drug inhibits 11Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1, an enzyme which activates cortisone into cortisol, a glucocorticoid. In the research trial investigating this use of carbenoloxone, it was shown that the drug improved verbal fluency in elderly healthy men (aged 55-75). In type 2 diabetics aged 52-70, the drug improved verbal memory. However, it should be noted that potassium-sparing diuretic amiloride was co-administered with carbenoxolone, since carbenoxolone used by itself may cause hypertension by increasing cortisol in the kidneys.
