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ropinirole (Requip CR / ropinirole 24hr / Requip LP)

✓ Approved

SkyePharma PLC · DRD2 · Small Molecule

What is ropinirole?

ropinirole is a small molecule developed by SkyePharma PLC. It is approved for therapeutic indications via oral (po).

Drug Profile

Brand NamesRequip CR, ropinirole 24hr, Requip LP
CompanySkyePharma PLC
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetDRD2, DRD3
RouteOral (PO)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, SkyePharma PLC

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

ropinirole acts on 2 molecular targets:

DRD2dopamine receptor D2 (D2DR, D2R)
DRD3dopamine receptor D3 (D3DR, FET1)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

ropinirole is developed for 2 unique indications across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Nervous system disordersParkinson's disease✓ Approved
Nervous system disordersRestless legs syndromePhase II

Related Research Articles

PubMedPsychopharmacology bulletin2026-11-04

Psychiatric and Behavioral Adverse Event Reporting Patterns Among Dopamine Agonists in Parkinson's Disease Using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System.

Ogura Toru T, Shiraishi Chihiro C

Dopamine agonists used in Parkinson's disease are associated with neuropsychiatric and behavioral adverse events (AEs), including hallucinations and impulse control disorders. This study aimed to compare AE reporting patterns among pramipexole, ropinirole, and rotigotine in the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and to identify drug-specific pharmacovigilance signals. This retrospective study analyzed FAERS data using disproportionality analysis. Reporting odds ratios (RORs) and adjusted RORs (aRORs) were calculated with pramipexole as the reference drug; ropinirole and rotigotine were each compared with pramipexole. A Bonferroni-corrected significance threshold of P < 0.025 was used for the two pairwise comparisons. We analyzed 5,959 cases (pramipexole N = 1,654; ropinirole N = 1,450; rotigotine N = 2,855). Compared with pramipexole, ropinirole was associated with significantly higher reporting of gastrointestinal disorders and lower reporting of impulse control disorders. Rotigotine was associated with lower reporting of neuropsychiatric disorders (excluding impulse control disorders), impulse control disorders, and general and systemic disorders, but higher reporting of dermatological and application-site disorders, infectious disorders, and serious outcome-related events. Dopamine agonists showed distinct AE reporting profiles in FAERS, particularly for neuropsychiatric, impulse-control, and other regimen-related events. These findings are pharmacovigilance signals rather than causal associations, but they may help inform psychiatric risk assessment and individualized dopamine agonist selection. Confirmation in prospective clinical or pharmacoepidemiological studies is warranted.

PMID 42979628
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PubMedThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2026-10-29

Levodopa or dopamine agonists for enhancing motor function after stroke.

Jauslin Andrea S AS, Boos Lukas L, Hirt Julian J, Altersberger Valerian V et al.

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. There is a lack of evidence regarding pharmacological enhancement of stroke recovery with dopamine agonists or levodopa, in particular in terms of motor deficits. To assess the effects of dopaminergic agents, defined as levodopa or dopamine agonists, on improving motor function after stroke. We conducted an extensive database search on the Cochrane Stroke Group trials register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index Expanded, CPCI-S, BIOSIS Citation Index, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Global up to November 2025. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that enrolled participants with a clinical diagnosis of stroke, irrespective of age or stroke aetiology and without a pre-existing indication for the use of levodopa or dopamine agonists. Eligible trials compared levodopa or dopamine agonists with a comparator group who received placebo or no medication, with equivalent rehabilitative care in both groups, and aimed at enhancing motor function after stroke. Motor function was the critical benefit outcome. As a critical harm outcome, we assessed serious adverse events. Important outcomes consisted of death, recurrent stroke, disability, dependence, health-related quality of life, activities of daily living, total number of adverse events, and psychiatric adverse events. Two review authors independently assessed the risk of bias for each trial using the Cochrane Risk of bias tool (RoB 1). We synthesised results for each outcome using a standardised mean difference (SMD) or mean difference (MD) for continuous data and risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous results, with a random-effects model due to heterogeneity between the trials. For non-extractable trials due to missing numerical data, we synthesised the results narratively. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome. We included 12 parallel-group RCTs involving 1860 participants. The trials were conducted in Europe, the USA and Asia, and were published between 2001 and 2025. All trials included participants with either ischaemic strokes only or both haemorrhagic and ischaemic strokes. The mean age of all included participants ranged from 55 to 78 years. Of the included trials, 10 were placebo-controlled and two compared levodopa or dopamine agonists against usual care. Eleven trials investigated levodopa as the intervention and one examined the dopamine agonist ropinirole. Across 12 included trials, complete data on motor function were available for six trials with continuous data (1258 participants) and for two trials with dichotomous data (615 participants), of which one trial assessed both continuous and dichotomous data. We detected no difference in motor function scores between levodopa or dopamine agonists and the comparator groups for continuous outcomes (SMD 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.20 to 3.05; 6 trials, 1258 participants; very low-certainty evidence). The wide confidence intervals indicate substantial imprecision in the effect estimate. Consistent with those results, we detected no difference for dichotomous motor function outcomes either (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.06; 2 trials, 615 participants; anticipated absolute event rate of having a favourable outcome of 581/1000 in the comparator group versus 540/1000 with levodopa/dopamine agonists; low-certainty evidence). Heterogeneity for the critical outcome motor function (continuously measured) was high (I2 = 99%). However, a sensitivity analysis including only two trials with a low risk of bias in all domains, that accounted for the majority of the included patient population (1025 of 1258), showed no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%), and a smaller confidence interval (SMD 0.02, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.14; 2 trials, 1025 participants), implying no difference between groups. Six trials assessed serious adverse events, including 1281 participants. There was no notable difference in the risk of serious adverse events between groups (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.27; anticipated absolute event rate of 302/1000 events in comparators versus 311/1000 events with levodopa/dopamine agonists; low-certainty evidence). All important outcomes showed no notable between-group differences. The certainty of evidence, according to GRADE, was very low for continuously measured scores of motor function, low for dichotomous motor function outcomes, and low for serious adverse events. Together with heterogeneity in both interventions and outcomes, inconsistency of findings, imprecision related to small sample sizes in some trials, and imprecision of summary effect, there are major limitations of the current evidence. Based on limited data, we did not find evidence that the use of levodopa or dopamine agonists improves motor function after a stroke. Given the low certainty of evidence due to limited data, wide confidence intervals, and heterogeneity across trials, further research may change this assessment and explore whether effects are different in specific subgroups of patients. Science funds [Wissenschaftsfonds] Department of Rehabilitation and Neurology, University Department of Geriatric Medicine, Felix Platter, University of Basel, Switzerland. This review had no external funding. Protocol available via https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013416.

PMID 42954433
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PubMedBiological & pharmaceutical bulletin2026-10-25

Interleukin-31 Induces Itch-Related Responses with Precursor Behaviors in Mice and Its Suppression by the Dopamine D2/D3 Receptor Agonist Ropinirole.

Andoh Tsugunobu T, Suzuki Mami M

Recent research has revealed that human itch manifests in a variety of distinct phenotypes, such as muzumuzu (creepy-crawly itch, a bit like tickling). We have also demonstrated that scratching behaviors induced by pruritogens in mice are sometimes preceded by specific precursor behaviors, such as shivering or forelimb grooming, whereas in other cases, these precursors are absent. These findings suggest that mice, like humans, exhibit characteristic itch-related behaviors. In the present study, we focused on interleukin-31 (IL-31), which has been implicated in atopic dermatitis-associated itch, and investigated whether precursor behaviors were observed during IL-31-induced itch-related behaviors in mice. Male ICR mice were used in this study. Following intradermal injection of IL-31, subsequent behaviors were recorded with a digital video camera, and scratch behaviors were counted based on the presence or absence of precursor behaviors. Intradermal IL-31-induced scratching with precursor behaviors was significantly higher than that without them. Dopamine D2 receptor agonists are reported to be effective against restless sensations. Ropinirole, a dopamine D2/D3 receptor agonist, significantly suppressed IL-31-induced scratching with precursor behaviors. Interestingly, ropinirole also attenuated IL-31-induced scratching without precursor behaviors. Histamine induces scratching that is unaccompanied by precursor behaviors compared to those accompanied by them. Ropinirole also inhibited histamine-induced scratching, both with and without precursor behaviors. In conclusion, these findings provide the first evidence that IL-31-induced itch-related responses are primarily characterized by precursor behaviors. Moreover, the fact that ropinirole significantly suppressed both IL-31- and histamine-induced scratching suggests that ropinirole holds therapeutic promise for managing diverse itch signaling pathways.

PMID 42927937
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PubMedSleep science (Sao Paulo, Brazil)2026-10-22

A First Case of Compulsive Amnestic Sleep-Related Shopping Induced by Pramipexole Therapy of Restless Legs Syndrome.

Todd Michael M, Schenck Carlos H CH, Golden Erin E, Varghese Ranji R

Dopamine receptor agonists (DAs) such as pramipexole/ropinirole are recognized treatments for restless legs syndrome (RLS) and Parkinson's disease (PD). It is well established that these medications can cause impulse control disorders (ICDs) during wakefulness, side effects with serious and potentially life-altering consequences. Impulse control disorders are recurrent difficult-to-resist behaviors that can be harmful to the patient or others around them. Common examples include pathologic gambling and compulsive sexual behaviors, eating, and shopping. We present the case of a patient with RLS who developed pathologic nocturnal sleep-related shopping, without recalling the events, which resolved after discontinuing pramipexole. This case illustrates the devastating consequences that unrecognized medically-induced ICDs can have on patients' lives and the importance of counseling patients about ICDs during wake and sleep prior to starting DA therapy.

PMID 42904291
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PubMedEuropean journal of case reports in internal medicine2026-10-15

Adult-Onset Levodopa-Unresponsive Parkinsonism as the Presenting Feature of Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency.

Spiteri Matthew M, Tilney Russel R, Said Edith E, Vella Malcolm M

Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase is a critical enzyme required for the final step in the synthesis of dopamine and serotonin, two important neurotransmitters. Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of neurotransmitter biosynthesis caused by pathogenic variants in the dopa decarboxylase (DDC) gene. An absence or decrease of dopamine and serotonin levels may lead to severe motor and neurodevelopmental impairments. It classically presents within the first 6 months of life with a triad of hypotonia, oculogyric crises and developmental delay. Adult-onset presentations are extremely rare and underreported. We report the case of a 53-year-old man who presented with progressive left-sided bradykinesia, stiffness, rigidity and resting tremor over a year and a half. Examination demonstrated asymmetrical parkinsonism including facial hypomimia, cogwheel rigidity and a reduced arm swing on the left. A trial of levodopa of up to 1000 mg levodopa equivalent daily dose did not improve his condition. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was reported as normal without radiological signs of atypical parkinsonian neurodegenerative disorders. An autoimmune and onconeural antibody panel was negative. The patient's symptoms progressively deteriorated and he noted dysphagia requiring a tailored feeding plan Dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography was performed demonstrating a marked reduction of nigrostriatal synaptic integrity at the right putamen and modest reduction at the left putamen. Targeted genetic testing identified a homozygous missense variant [NM_000790.3: c.710T>C p. (Phe237Ser)] in the DDC gene, establishing the diagnosis of AADC deficiency. Levodopa was substituted with a direct dopamine agonist (ropinirole) which resulted in a modest clinical improvement; however, dose escalation was limited by nausea. The patient subsequently developed neuropsychiatric symptoms which were managed with mirtazapine and sodium valproate. This case expands the recognised phenotypic spectrum of AADC deficiency and highlights the importance of considering neurotransmitter biosynthesis defects in levodopa-unresponsive adult parkinsonism. Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, classically an infantile-onset neurometabolic disorder, can present in adulthood as a levodopa-unresponsive parkinsonian syndrome and should be considered in adults with otherwise unexplained atypical parkinsonism.In cases of lack of response to adequate doses of levodopa in an apparent Parkinson's disease phenotype, consideration of a neuroreceptor biosynthesis defect should be made and direct dopamine agonists such as ropinirole can be trailed, as they bypass this metabolic block, and may produce clinical improvement.Unremarkable magnetic resonance imaging does not exclude a neurodegenerative or genetic parkinsonism. Dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography can demonstrate reduced uptake representing nigrostriatal denervation in AADC deficiency. Biallelic dopa decarboxylase molecular genetic testing is first line for diagnosis, guiding drug selection and genetic counselling of the patient and relatives.

PMID 42877280
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PubMedInternational journal of pharmaceutics2026-09-18

Modulating microneedles' array design and application force for personalizing skin permeation using design of experiments.

Antonara Lefkothea L, Bampatsikou Charitini Georgia CG, Monou Paraskevi Kyriaki PK, Baltatzis George E GE et al.

Polymeric microneedle arrays are medical devices composed of micro-scale needles that enhance skin permeation by breaching stratum corneum's integrity and creating microchannels. Morphology as well as dimensional characteristics of these structures, namely height, base width, density of arrays and tip diameter can significantly affect the permeation profile of the active ingredient. Additionally, the force applied during application is also considered a key factor of drug delivery. Therefore, within the concept of personalizing the rate and amount of drug permeated through skin, a screening of the aforementioned factors was performed. Specifically, microneedles of various geometries and dimensions were prepared and evaluated with regards to their dimensional accuracy, insertion depth and drug permeation. For this purpose, Ropinirole Hydrochloride (RopHCl) was utilized as model drug due to its hydrophilic nature. In more detail, ten microneedle morphologies were evaluated in relation to their effect in the drug delivered, while a Definitive Screening Design (DSD) was implemented to screen the effect of the microneedle dimensional characteristics in the arrays' performance. Overall, significant differentiations between the microneedles shapes were observed across the permeation profiles while height, interspacing distance and insertion force were the main factors revealed as significant by the experimental design applied. Regarding base width, although it does not directly influence drug permeation, it affects the mechanical rigidity. It can be thus concluded that drug permeation through skin can be effectively personalized by tuning the microneedle array properties, while keeping a constant microneedle composition.

PMID 42759675
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