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Bromocriptine versus cabergoline image Webp

Parkinson’s disease is a condition which affects a part of your brain. As a result, you are likely to witness difficulties in moving your body. It starts off as little tremors or shakes. But, over a period of time, it poses challenges to how you talk, walk, think and sleep. There is no known cure for this condition. However, there are medicines that can help you manage the signs. Bromocriptine is widely administered for treating Parkinson’s disease. Bromocriptine versus cabergoline: what are the differences between these two drugs? It can be helpful to have more inputs.

A few cells in a part of your brain called substantia nigra make a chemical called dopamine. This substance plays a key role in carrying messages to your cerebral system. So, each time you wish to itch or to pet your dog, dopamine sends a signal to nerve cells to enable the needful movement. During the onset of Parkinson’s disease, cells in substantia nigra begin to die. As there is no way to replace them, dopamine production tends to fall below optimal level. The net outcome is your bodily movements slowly become uncontrollable.

In this milieu, what is bromocriptine?

Bromocriptine is administered for treating Parkinson’s disease. Key chemicals of this med enhance your motor function such as capability to move your body, reduce tremors and stiffness, slowing down of movements as well as being unsteady.

As an extended use, this med helps control higher levels of prolactin production in your system. Those with high prolactin tend to make more breast milk, experience erratic periods, drop in libido level, etc. However, bromocriptine is never used for stopping breast milk production after your pregnancy.

Bromocriptine is categorised as an ergot medicine which acts like a natural chemical inside your brain. One of its key functions is to work on hormones like prolactin and also on growth hormone. Though key chemicals of bromocriptine help reduce the levels of these hormones, it never addresses the root-causes of their enhanced production.

What is cabergoline?

This is another ergot med that helps control high prolactin levels. Increased production of this hormone leads to difficulties in getting pregnant, needless secretion of breast milk, skipping of periods, etc. Among men, enhanced prolactin causes enlargement of breasts as well as reduced level of libido or sexual urge. The key task of cabergoline is to inhibit the discharge of prolactin from your pituitary glands.

In general, cabergoline helps correcting hormonal imbalances. It is essentially used for a condition called hyperprolactinemia. You need to know that it may also be used for conditions apart from those listed above.

Bromocriptine versus cabergoline

One of the main points with regard to cabergoline versus bromocriptine is: former is used mainly for hyperprolactinemia while the latter is used for several conditions like Parkinson’s disease, diabetes mellitus – type 2, tardive-dyskinesia, acromegaly, etc. On the mechanism of action front, cabergoline is grouped under prolactin inhibiting meds and bromocriptine is categorised as a dopaminergic anti-Parkinsonism agent as well as a prolactin inhibitor.

Bromocriptine versus cabergoline image Webp

In terms of dosage forms, bromocriptine is sold as an oral capsule and as a pill. Cabergoline is available only as an orally administered tablet. A key difference rests on the half-life periods: bromocriptine has a half-life of 8 hours while cabergoline takes 100 hours.

Bromocriptine was approved first in late 1970s. Cabergoline received its approval in mid-1990s. Most commonly experienced side effects of bromocriptine include being lightheaded, difficulties to pass stools, acute spells of migraine, etc. On the other hand, side effects cabergoline causes are almost similar to the above effects. You are however advised to talk to your caregiving team to know more about bromocriptine versus cabergoline and their mechanism of action in greater detail.

Disclaimer


Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug