Famotidine
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| 3-[2-(diaminomethyleneamino)thiazol- 4-ylmethylthio]-N-sulfamoylpropionamidine | |
| CAS number 76824-35-6 | ATC code |
| Chemical formula | C8H15N7O2S3 |
| Molecular weight | 337.5 |
| Bioavailability | 40-45% |
| Metabolism | hepatic |
| Elimination half-life | 2-3.5 hours |
| Excretion | renal |
| Pregnancy category | B1 (Australia) |
| Legal status | Schedule 4 (Aust) POM (UK) |
| Routes of administration | oral |
Famotidine is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist that inhibits stomach acid production, and is commonly used in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It was developed and marketed by Merck & Co. under the trade names Pepcidine and Pepcid.
Clinical use
Main article: H2-receptor antagonist
History and development
Famotidine was developed by Merck & Co., and was first marketed in 1985. The imidazole-ring of cimetidine was replaced with a 2-guanidinothiazole ring. Famotidine proved to be 30 times more active than cimetidine.