Recent Progress in Prostaglandin F2α Ethanolamide (Prostamide F2α) Research and Therapeutics

The document from July 26, 2013, discusses the advancements in prostamide F2α research, particularly focusing on the pharmacology of bimatoprost, an antiglaucoma drug that shares similar properties with prostamide F2α. Early studies compared the potency of bimatoprost with prostaglandin F2α and synthetic FP receptor agonists, leading to the development of selective prostamide receptor antagonists, which helped distinguish prostamide effects from FP receptor-mediated effects. Bimatoprost has been therapeutically used to treat glaucoma and eyelash hypotrichosis and has been shown to stimulate hair growth in human scalp hair follicles and mouse pelage hair. Additionally, bimatoprost may reduce fat deposition by targeting preadipocytes. The discovery of prostamide/PGF synthase has been crucial in understanding the distribution of prostamide F2α, with high expression in the central nervous system indicating its role as a nociceptive mediator in the spinal cord. Bimatoprost has provided therapeutics in multiple areas, and the use of prostamide agonists and antagonists may lead to further medical applications.