View in EDS

The pharmacological rationale for amiloride nasal spray: potentially a portable and rapid-acting treatment for panic disorder.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The pharmacological rationale for amiloride nasal spray: potentially a portable and rapid-acting treatment for panic disorder.
Authors: Davies, Simon J. C. (AUTHOR), Schruers, Koen R. J. (AUTHOR), Leibold, Nicole K. (AUTHOR), Battaglia, Marco (AUTHOR)
Source: British Journal of Psychiatry. Jun2026, Vol. 228 Issue 6, p557-561. 5p.
Subjects: Panic attacks, Intranasal medication, Clinical trials, Panic disorders, Acid-sensing ion channels, Drug therapy
Abstract: Summary: Panic disorder is among the most common mental disorders, characterised by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks that are highly distressing and further lead to pervasive anxiety about future attacks and maladaptive behavioural changes. Existing pharmacological and psychological treatments often fail to produce lasting improvement, and relapse is common. Neither antidepressants, the current first-line drug treatments, nor benzodiazepines exert their actions sufficiently rapidly to head off panic attacks between the initial indications of panic symptoms and the fully developed panic attack. Therefore, there is a clear need for new pharmacological compounds, particularly those that could be administered at the first warning signs of an impending panic attack, to disrupt its genesis. Here we discuss the acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) as a therapeutic target and the potential of amiloride, an ASIC antagonist administered via nasal spray, for rapid access to the brain, as a compound with potential to fill this need. We summarise relevant preclinical studies, including a demonstration of nebulised amiloride's ability to normalise responses to carbon dioxide, a panicogenic, brain-acidifying agent. Following existing safety, stability and pharmacokinetic studies, clinical trials are needed to test the efficacy of this compound in individuals with panic disorder and/or recurrent panic attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of British Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 194133162
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The pharmacological rationale for amiloride nasal spray: potentially a portable and rapid-acting treatment for panic disorder.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Davies%2C+Simon+J%2E+C%2E%22">Davies, Simon J. C.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Schruers%2C+Koen+R%2E+J%2E%22">Schruers, Koen R. J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Leibold%2C+Nicole+K%2E%22">Leibold, Nicole K.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Battaglia%2C+Marco%22">Battaglia, Marco</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22British+Journal+of+Psychiatry%22">British Journal of Psychiatry</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 228 Issue 6, p557-561. 5p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Panic+attacks%22">Panic attacks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intranasal+medication%22">Intranasal medication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+trials%22">Clinical trials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Panic+disorders%22">Panic disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Acid-sensing+ion+channels%22">Acid-sensing ion channels</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drug+therapy%22">Drug therapy</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Summary: Panic disorder is among the most common mental disorders, characterised by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks that are highly distressing and further lead to pervasive anxiety about future attacks and maladaptive behavioural changes. Existing pharmacological and psychological treatments often fail to produce lasting improvement, and relapse is common. Neither antidepressants, the current first-line drug treatments, nor benzodiazepines exert their actions sufficiently rapidly to head off panic attacks between the initial indications of panic symptoms and the fully developed panic attack. Therefore, there is a clear need for new pharmacological compounds, particularly those that could be administered at the first warning signs of an impending panic attack, to disrupt its genesis. Here we discuss the acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) as a therapeutic target and the potential of amiloride, an ASIC antagonist administered via nasal spray, for rapid access to the brain, as a compound with potential to fill this need. We summarise relevant preclinical studies, including a demonstration of nebulised amiloride's ability to normalise responses to carbon dioxide, a panicogenic, brain-acidifying agent. Following existing safety, stability and pharmacokinetic studies, clinical trials are needed to test the efficacy of this compound in individuals with panic disorder and/or recurrent panic attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of British Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194133162
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1192/bjp.2026.10611
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 5
        StartPage: 557
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Panic attacks
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intranasal medication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clinical trials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Panic disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Acid-sensing ion channels
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Drug therapy
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The pharmacological rationale for amiloride nasal spray: potentially a portable and rapid-acting treatment for panic disorder.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Davies, Simon J. C.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Schruers, Koen R. J.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Leibold, Nicole K.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Battaglia, Marco
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00071250
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 228
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: British Journal of Psychiatry
              Type: main
ResultId 1