Domperidone was discovered in 1974 and was introduced for medical use in 1979.[21][22][23] It was developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica.[21][22] Domperidone is available over-the-counter in many countries, for instance in Europe and elsewhere throughout the world.[24][2] It is not approved for use in the United States.[25][26][2] However, it is available in the United States for people with severe and treatment-refractory gastrointestinal motility problems under an expanded access individual-patient investigational new drug application.[25] An analogue of domperidone called deudomperidone is under development for potential use in the United States and other countries.[27][28][29]
Medical uses
Nausea and vomiting
There is some evidence that domperidone has antiemetic activity.[2] It is recommended by the Canadian Headache Society for treatment of nausea associated with acute migraine.[30]
Gastroparesis
Gastroparesis is a medical condition characterised by delayed emptying of the stomach when there is no mechanical gastric outlet obstruction. Its cause is most commonly idiopathic, a diabetic complication or a result of abdominal surgery. The condition causes nausea, vomiting, fullness after eating, early satiety (feeling full before the meal is finished), abdominal pain, and bloating. Domperidone can be used to increase the transit of food through the stomach by increasing gastrointestinalperistalsis and hence to treat gastroparesis.[2][10] It may be useful in idiopathic and diabetic gastroparesis.[31][32] However, increased rate of gastric emptying induced by drugs like domperidone does not always correlate well with relief of symptoms.[33]
Lactation
Domperidone is used off-label in some countries to stimulate lactation or enhance breast milk production, but, as of December 2023, it is not approved for that purpose in any country, and is not approved for use in humans in the United States.[25][34] Domperidone acts as a peripheral dopamine antagonist and is hypothesized to stimulate prolactin secretion, with a 2003 study supporting that hypothesis.[26]
A 2018 meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials found that domperidone resulted in a moderate increase of in breast milk volume for mothers of preterm infants with insufficient milk supply. The analysis also indicated that domperidone was well tolerated with no significant difference in maternal adverse events compared to placebo.[35] Domperidone has no officially established dosage for increasing milk supply, but most published studies have used 10 mg three times daily for 4 to 10 days (30 mg per day).[36]
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expressed concerns about serious adverse side effects and concerns about its effectiveness.[34] The FDA identified serious cardiac adverse events associated with domperidone use in lactating individuals, including arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, and sudden death. Additionally, discontinuation or tapering of domperidone has been linked to severe neuropsychiatric adverse events such as agitation, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Because of these risks, the FDA strongly cautions against the use of domperidone to enhance lactation.[34]
A review by Health Canada also found a link between the sudden discontinuation or tapering of domperidone when used off-label for lactation, and psychiatric withdrawal events, particularly daily doses greater than the maximum recommended dose of 30 mg per day.[37] A 2021 study found that postpartum usage of domperidone increased across five Canadian provinces from 2004 and 2017 with usage plateauing in 2011 and a drop in usage after a 2012 Health Canada advisory warning about domperidone.[38]
Domperidone may be used in functional dyspepsia in both adults and children.[47][48] It has also been found effective in the treatment of reflux in children.[49] However some specialists consider its risks prohibitory of the treatment of infantile reflux.[50]
Domperidone use is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (by 70%)[15] most likely through its prolonging effect of the cardiac QT interval and ventricular arrhythmias.[62][63] The cause is thought to be blockade of hERGvoltage-gated potassium channels.[16][17] The risks are dose-dependent, and appear to be greatest with high/very high doses via intravenous administration and in the elderly, as well as with drugs that interact with domperidone and increase its circulating concentrations (namely CYP3A4 inhibitors).[19][18] Conflicting reports exist, however.[64] In neonates and infants, QT prolongation is controversial and uncertain.[65][66]
UK drug regulatory authorities (MHRA) have issued the following restriction on domperidone in 2014 due to increased risk of adverse cardiac effects:[67]
Domperidone (Motilium) is associated with a small increased risk of serious cardiac side effects. Its use is now restricted to the relief of nausea and vomiting and the dosage and duration of use have been reduced. It should no longer be used for the treatment of bloating and heartburn. Domperidone is now contraindicated in those with underlying cardiac conditions and other risk factors. Patients with these conditions and patients receiving long-term treatment with domperidone should be reassessed at a routine appointment, in light of the new advice.
However, a 2015 Australian review concluded the following:[18]
Based on the results of the two TQT (the regulatory agency gold standard for assessment of QT prolongation) domperidone does not appear to be strongly associated with QT prolongation at oral doses of 20 mg QID in healthy volunteers. Further, there are limited case reports supporting an association with cardiac dysfunction, and the frequently cited case-control studies have significant flaws. While there remains an ill-defined risk at higher systemic concentrations, especially in patients with a higher baseline risk of QT prolongation, our review does not support the view that domperidone presents intolerable risk.
In healthy volunteers, the CYP3A4inhibitorketoconazole increased the Cmax and AUC concentrations of domperidone by 3- to 10-fold.[69] This was accompanied by a QT interval prolongation of about 10–20 milliseconds when domperidone 10 mg four times daily and ketoconazole 200 mg twice daily were administered, whereas domperidone by itself at the dosage assessed produced no such effect.[69] As such, domperidone with ketoconazole or other CYP3A4 inhibitors is a potentially dangerous combination.[69]
A single 20 mg oral dose of domperidone has been found to increase mean serum prolactin levels (measured 90 minutes post-administration) in non-lactating women from 8.1 ng/mL to 110.9 ng/mL (a 13.7-fold increase).[10][73][74][75] This was similar to the increase in prolactin levels produced by a single 20 mg oral dose of metoclopramide (7.4 ng/mL to 124.1 ng/mL; 16.7-fold increase).[74][75] After two weeks of repeated administration (30 mg/day in both cases), the increase in prolactin levels produced by domperidone was reduced (53.2 ng/mL; 6.6-fold above baseline), but the increase in prolactin levels produced by metoclopramide, conversely, was heightened (179.6 ng/mL; 24.3-fold above baseline).[10][75] This indicates that acute and continuous administration of both domperidone and metoclopramide is effective in increasing prolactin levels, but that there are different effects on the secretion of prolactin with repeated use.[74][75] The mechanism of the difference is unknown.[75] The increase in prolactin levels observed with the two drugs was much greater in women than in men.[74][75] This appears to be due to the higher estrogen levels in women, as estrogen stimulates prolactin secretion from the pituitary gland.[76]
For comparison, normal prolactin levels in women are less than 20 ng/mL, prolactin levels peak at 100 to 300 ng/mL at parturition in pregnant women, and in lactating women, prolactin levels have been found to be 90 ng/mL at 10 days postpartum and 44 ng/mL at 180 days postpartum.[77][78]
Pharmacokinetics
Absorption
The absolute bioavailability of domperidone is low (13–17% or approximately 15%).[9][2] This is due to extensive first-pass metabolism in the intestines and liver.[9] Conversely, its bioavailability is high via intramuscular injection (90%).[2] The onset of action of domperidone taken orally is about 30 to 60 minutes.[8][2] Peak levels of domperidone following an oral dose occur after about 60 minutes.[9] Domperidone exposure increases proportionally with doses in the 10 to 20 mg dose range.[9] There is a 2- to 3-fold accumulation in levels of domperidone with frequent repeated oral administration of domperidone (four times per day (every 5 hours) for 4 days).[9] The oral bioavailability of domperidone is somewhat increased, and time to peak slightly increased when it is taken with food and bioavailability is decreased by prior concomitant administration of cimetidine and sodium bicarbonate.[9]
Domperidone is extensively metabolized in the liver and intestines with oral administration.[9][7][80] This occurs via hydroxylation and N-dealkylation.[9] Domperidone is almost exclusively metabolized by CYP3A4/5, though minor contributions by CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and CYP2C8 have been reported.[80][7] CYP3A4 is the major enzyme involved in the N-dealkylation of domperidone, while CYP3A4, CYP1A2, and CYP2E1 are involved in its aromatic hydroxylation.[9] All of the metabolites of domperidone are inactive as D2 receptor ligands.[2][7] Overall and peak levels of domperidone are increased by about 2.9- and 1.5-fold in moderate hepatic impairment, respectively.[9]
Elimination
Domperidone is eliminated 31% in urine and 66% in feces.[9] The proportion of domperidone excreted unchanged is small (10% in feces and 1% in urine).[9] The elimination half-life of domperidone is about 7 to 9 hours in healthy individuals.[9][2] However, the elimination half-life of domperidone can be prolonged to 20 hours in people with several renal dysfunction.[9][2]
In April 2014, the Coordination Group for Mutual Recognition and Decentralised Procedures – Human (CMDh) published an official press release suggesting restricting the use of domperidone-containing medicines. It also approved earlier published suggestions by Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) to use domperidone only for treating nausea and vomiting and reduce maximum daily dosage to 10mg.[11]
Society and culture
Generic names
Domperidone is the generic name of the drug and its INNTooltip International Nonproprietary Name, USANTooltip United States Adopted Name, BANTooltip British Approved Name, and JANTooltip Japanese Accepted Name.[85][86][87]
Regulatory approval
It was reported in 2007 that domperidone is available in 58 countries,[2] but the uses or indications of domperidone vary between nations. In Italy it is used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease and in Canada, the drug is indicated in upper gastrointestinal motility disorders and to prevent gastrointestinal symptoms associated with the use of dopamine agonist antiparkinsonian agents.[88] In the United Kingdom, domperidone is only indicated for the treatment of nausea and vomiting and the treatment duration is usually limited to 1 week.
In the United States, domperidone is not a legally marketed human drug and it is not approved for sale in the United States.[25] In June 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that distributing any domperidone-containing products is illegal.[25]
It is available over-the-counter to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease and functional dyspepsia in many countries, such as Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, South Africa, Mexico, India, Chile, and China.[24]
Domperidone is not approved for use in the United States.[25] There is an exception for use in people with treatment-refractory gastrointestinal symptoms under an FDA Investigational New Drug application.[2][25]
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