Cholinerv Mechanism of Action

Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Citicoline is a complex organic molecule that functions as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of cell membrane phospholipids. Citicoline is also known as CDP-choline or cytidine diphosphate choline (cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine). CDP-choline belongs to the group of biomolecules in living systems known as nucleotides that play important roles in cellular metabolism.
The pharmacologic action of citicoline appears to involve mechanisms that extend beyond phospholipid metabolism. Citicoline metabolites, i.e. choline, methionine, betaine, and cytidine-derived nucleotides-enter a number of metabolic pathways.
Biochemical markers of cholinergic nerve transmission are known to be deficient in conditions characterized by degeneration of cholinergic neurons, such as Alzheimer's disease. Citicoline modestly improves cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease by serving as an acetylcholine precursor. The brain uses choline preferentially for acetylcholine synthesis, which can limit the amount of choline available for phosphatidylcholine production.
Citicoline has been investigated as a therapy for stroke patients. Three mechanisms are postulated: (1) repair of the neuronal membrane via increased synthesis of phosphatidylcholine; (2) repair of damaged cholinergic neurons via potentiation of acetylcholine production; and (3) reduction of free fatty acid build-up at the site of stroke-induced nerve damage.
Citicoline protects cholinergic neurons from autocannibalism, a process in which membrane phospholipids are catabolized to provide choline for the synthesis of acetylcholine. This occurs when choline supplies are depleted, necessitating sacrifice of membrane phospholipids to maintain neurotransmission. As an exogenous source of choline for acetylcholine production, citicoline thus spares membrane phospholipids (in particular, phosphatidylcholine) and prevents neuronal cell death.
Pharmacokinetics: Citicoline is a water-soluble compound with greater than 90% bioavailability. Pharmacokinetic studies in healthy adults have shown oral doses of citicoline to be rapidly absorbed, with less than 1% excreted in the feces. Plasma levels peak in a biphasic manner, at 1 hour after ingestion followed by a second larger peak at 24 hours post-dosing.
Citicoline is metabolized in the gut wall and liver. The byproducts of exogenous citicoline formed by hydrolysis in the intestinal wall are choline and cytidine. After absorption, choline and cytidine are dispersed throughout the body, enter systemic circulation for utilization in various biosynthetic pathways and cross the blood-brain barrier for re-synthesis into citicoline in the brain.
Pharmacokinetic studies using ¹⁴C citicoline show citicoline elimination occurs mainly via respiratory CO₂ and urinary excretion, in two phases, mirroring the biphasic plasma peaks. The initial peak in plasma concentration is followed by a sharp decline, which then slows over the next 4 to 10 hours. In the second phase, an initially rapid decline after the 24-hour plasma peak is similarly followed by a slower elimination rate. The elimination half-life is 56 hours for CO₂ and 71 hours for urinary excretion.