Trade names Milgamma ATC code A11DA03 (WHO) | Routes of
administration Oral Molar mass 466.448 g/mol | |
 | ||
AHFS/Drugs.com International Drug Names Legal status In general: Over-the-counter (OTC) Synonyms S-Benzoylthiamine O-monophosphate | ||
Benfotiamine (rINN, or S-benzoylthiamine O-monophosphate) is a synthetic S-acyl derivative of thiamine (vitamin B1).
Contents
It has been licensed for use in Germany since 1993 under the trade name Milgamma. (Combinations with pyridoxine or cyanocobalamin are also sold under this name.) It is prescribed there for treating sciatica and other painful nerve conditions.
It is marketed as a medicine and/or dietary supplement, depending on the respective Regulatory Authority.
Uses
Benfotiamine is primarily marketed as an antioxidant dietary supplement. In a clinical study with six patients, benfotiamine lowered AGE by 40%.
Benfotiamine may be useful for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy however "Most of the effects attributed to benfotiamine are extrapolated from in vitro and animal studies. Unfortunately apparent evidences from human studies are scarce and especially endpoint studies are missing. Therefore additional clinical studies are mandatory to explore the therapeutic potential of benfotiamine in both diabetic and non-diabetic pathological conditions". It is thought that treatment with benfotiamine leads to increased intracellular thiamine diphosphate levels, a cofactor of transketolase. This enzyme directs advanced glycation and lipoxidation end products (AGE's, ALE's) substrates to the pentose phosphate pathway, thus reducing tissue AGEs.
Pharmacology
After absorption, benfotiamine can be dephosphorylated by cells bearing an ecto-alkaline phosphatase to the lipid-soluble S-benzoylthiamine. Benfotiamine should not be confused with allithiamine, a naturally occurring thiamine disulfide derivative with a distinct pharmacological profile.