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Bromocriptine was the first pill that could shrink a pituitary tumour. From the 1970s it turned prolactinomas from a surgical disease into one usually controlled with tablets, and it is still used where cabergoline is unavailable or unsuitable.
Bromocriptine is an ergot-derived dopamine agonist developed by Sandoz (now Novartis). The FDA approved it in 1978 for hyperprolactinaemia-associated disorders, acromegaly and Parkinson's disease. Taken two or three times daily, it normalises prolactin, restores fertility and shrinks most prolactinomas, establishing medical therapy as the first-line treatment for these tumours.
It is now largely superseded by cabergoline, which is more potent, better tolerated and taken once or twice a week, but it remains the preferred agent when pregnancy is planned because of its longer safety record. The pituitary tumours page records it as the drug that established medical therapy for prolactinoma.
Stimulates dopamine D2 receptors on pituitary lactotroph cells, which switches off prolactin secretion and shrinks prolactin-secreting adenomas; it also lowers growth hormone in some acromegaly. Connects to Dopamine D2 receptor.
1.Bromocriptine slips into a pocket on Dopamine D2 receptor.
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1978 | Hyperprolactinaemia-associated dysfunction including prolactin-secreting adenomas; acromegaly; Parkinson's disease |
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Query for this drug: (TITLE:"Bromocriptine" OR ABSTRACT:"Bromocriptine" OR TITLE:"Parlodel" OR ABSTRACT:"Parlodel" OR TITLE:"Bromocriptine mesylate" OR ABSTRACT:"Bromocriptine mesylate") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Bromocriptine, not a curated reading list.
Shares Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma and the tag subtype-drugs-wave.
Shares Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma and the tag subtype-drugs-wave.
Shares Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma and the tag subtype-drugs-wave.
Shares Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma and the tag subtype-drugs-wave.
Shares Cabergoline, Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma.
Shares Cabergoline, Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma.
Shares Cabergoline, Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma.
Shares Cabergoline, Lactotroph pituitary neuroendocrine tumour (prolactinoma), Pituitary tumours (pituitary neuroendocrine tumours) and pituitary carcinoma.