Therapeutic methods and compositions for treating movement disorders

An oral pharmaceutical composition, comprising:

• (i) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor in an amount effective to treat a movement disorder,
• (ii) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator in an amount effective to reduce the frequency of at least one side effect of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor, and
• (iii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier,
• wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor is trihexyphenidyl or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and
• wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator is bethanechol or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

A method of treating a movement disorder in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject:

• (i) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor in an amount effective to treat the movement disorder, and
• (ii) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator in an amount effective to reduce the frequency of at least one side effect of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor,
• wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor is trihexyphenidyl or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and
• wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator is bethanechol or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

An oral pharmaceutical composition, comprising:

• (i) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor in an amount effective to treat a movement disorder
• (ii) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator in an amount in an amount effective to reduce the frequency of at least one side effect of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor, and
• (iii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier,
• wherein the composition is sufficient to provide an in vivo plasma profile of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor when administered to a subject in need thereof,
• wherein the rate of rise of the plasma concentration of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor is less than about 15 ng/ml/hr,
• wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor is trihexyphenidyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator is bethanechol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and
• wherein the oral pharmaceutical composition is a controlled release formulation.

A method of treating a movement disorder in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject:

• (i) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor in an amount effective to treat the movement disorder, and
• (ii) a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator in an amount effective to reduce the frequency of at least one side effect of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor,
• wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor has an in vivo plasma profile having a rate of rise of less than about 15 ng/ml/hr in the subject,
• wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitor is trihexyphenidyl or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and wherein the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activator is bethanechol or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.