Flunarizine is a drug classified as a calcium channel blocker

Calcium channel blocker

A calcium channel blocker is a chemical that disrupts the movement of calcium through calcium channels.CCB drugs devised to target neurons are used as antiepileptics. However, the most widespread clinical usage of calcium channel blockers is to decrease blood pressure in patients with...

. Flunarizine is a non-selective calcium entry blocker with calmodulin

Calmodulin

Calmodulin is a calcium-binding protein expressed in all eukaryotic cells...

 binding properties and histamine

Histamine

Histamine is an organic nitrogen compound involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter. Histamine triggers the inflammatory response. As part of an immune response to foreign pathogens, histamine is produced by...

 H1 blocking activity. It is effective in the prophylaxis of migraine

Migraine

Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by moderate to severe headaches, and nausea...

, occlusive peripheral vascular disease, vertigo

Vertigo (medical)

Vertigo is a type of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary. The symptoms are due to a dysfunction of the vestibular system in the inner ear...

 of central and peripheral origin, and as an adjuvant in the therapy of epilepsy

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...

. It may help to reduce the severity and duration of attacks of paralysis associated with the more serious form of alternating hemiplegia

Alternating hemiplegia

Alternating hemiplegia refers to a form of hemiplegia that has an ipsilateral and contralateral presentation in different parts of the body. The disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of paralysis on one side of the body. This type of syndrome can result from a unilateral lesion in the...

. Flunarizine was discovered at Janssen Pharmaceutica

Janssen Pharmaceutica

Janssen Pharmaceutica is pharmaceutical company, established in Belgium in 1953 by Paul Janssen. Its headquarters are located in Beerse, in the Campine region of the province of Antwerp, Belgium. It was created not as a subsidiary of a chemical factory but solely with the aim of conducting...

 in 1967.