ranirestat

Ranirestat is a potent oral small molecule aldose reductase inhibitor developed primarily for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. It acts by inhibiting the enzyme aldose reductase (AKR1B1), which catalyzes the conversion of glucose to sorbitol in the polyol pathway. In diabetes, increased aldose reductase activity leads to accumulation of sorbitol in insulin-insensitive tissues such as peripheral nerves, lenses, and renal glomeruli. This accumulation causes osmotic damage and contributes to complications like diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy. Ranirestat reduces intracellular sorbitol levels and has demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of intraneural sorbitol and fructose accumulation with good nerve tissue penetration. Clinical trials have shown that ranirestat improves motor nerve conduction velocity in patients with mild to moderate diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy but has not consistently improved sensory function or clinical symptoms compared to placebo. The drug is well tolerated orally and has been granted orphan drug status.

Other names

ranirestatAS-3201AS3201AS 3201SX-3030SX3030SX 3030SX-3202SX3202SX 3202