Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in the context of therapeutic strategies to combat alzheimer's disease

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) are a class of drugs useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a result of their indirect cholinomimetic effect. In this review, patents claiming AChEIs that have appeared from the late 1990s (after the marketing of second generation compounds) to the present day will be discussed. The patents filed in this period fall into two categories of AChEIs, new products and combinations of drugs. Most of the new compounds are modifications of known drugs, although some novel structures have been claimed. The association of AChEIs with other pharmacological agents is hoped to improve efficacy of treatment by combining effects from the different pharmacological mechanisms of action. To put this discussion of AChEIs into perspective, some observations on the clinical uses of the anticholinesterases are also briefly summarised.