Rivastigmine Alzheimer's drug. Computer model of a molecule of the Alzheimer's drug rivastigmine. Atoms are represented as spheres and are colour- coded: carbon (yellow), hydrogen (white), nitrogen (blue) and oxygen (red). Rivastigmine belongs to a class of drugs known as cholinesterase inhibitors. It inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which destroys the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Lack of neurotransmitters is thought to play a role in Alzheimer's disease, a common cause of dementia in the elderly. Rivastigmine does not cure the disease, or slow its progression, but it can improve cognitive function.