Transdermal scopolamine in motion sickness

Abstract

Motion sickness is a common clinical malady. Until recently, the use of scopolamine, the drug of choice for the treatment of motion-induced nausea and vomiting, has been sometimes associated with a variety of unacceptable side effects. These side effects could result from the unpredictable blood levels attained with oral dosage (pulse delivery). A new system of drug delivery, the transdermal therapeutic system (TTS)--Transderm-V--has been developed. The TTS delivers scopolamine across the skin at a constant rate. This permits a drug with a very short half life to be administered over prolonged periods, thereby maintaining blood concentrations at the defined therapeutic level. This precludes the necessity for frequent dosing and increases patient acceptability and compliance while minimizing the untoward effects associated with conventional dosage forms of the drug.