Gallamine triethiodide

Gallamine triethiodide
Clinical data
Trade namesFlaxedil
AHFS/Drugs.comInternational Drug Names
ATC code
Identifiers
  • 2,2’,2’’-[benzene-1,2,3-triyltris(oxy)]tris(N,N,N-triethylethanaminium) triiodide
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC30H60N3O3+3 · 3 I− (gallamine triethiodide)
C24H45N3O3 (gallamine)
Molar mass891.529 g/mol (gallamine triethiodide)
423.633 g/mol
(gallamine)
3D model (JSmol)
  • [I-].[I-].[I-].O(c1c(OCC[N+](CC)(CC)CC)cccc1OCC[N+](CC)(CC)CC)CC[N+](CC)(CC)CC
  • InChI=1S/C24H45N3O3/c1-7-25(8-2)16-19-28-22-14-13-15-23(29-20-17-26(9-3)10-4)24(22)30-21-18-27(11-5)12-6/h13-15H,7-12,16-21H2,1-6H3 checkY
  • Key:ICLWTJIMXVISSR-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
 ☒NcheckY (what is this?)  (verify)
An ampoule of gallamine.

Gallamine triethiodide (Flaxedil) is a non-depolarising muscle relaxant.[1] It acts by combining with the cholinergic receptor sites in muscle and competitively blocking the transmitter action of acetylcholine.[2] Gallamine is a non-depolarising type of blocker as it binds to the acetylcholine receptor but does not have the biological activity of acetyl choline. Gallamine triethiodide has a parasympatholytic effect on the cardiac vagus nerve, which causes tachycardia[3][4] and occasionally hypertension. Very high doses cause histamine release.[citation needed]
Presence of iodine makes it radio opaque, and its ampule in a bag at airport's x-ray scanner raise the false suspicion of a bullet in the bag.

Gallamine triethiodide was commonly used to prevent muscle contractions during surgical procedures, but is now superseded by new neuromuscular blocking drugs with less side effects.

It was developed by Daniel Bovet in 1947.[5]

The drug is no longer marketed in the United States, according to the FDA Orange Book.

  1. ^ "Webster's Online Dictionary - Flaxedil". Retrieved 2008-12-15.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "RxMed: Pharmaceutical Information - FLAXEDIL". Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  3. ^ Morgenstern C, Splith G (October 1965). "[Studies on the causes of gallamine tachycardia and its antagonistic modification by beta adrenolytics]". Der Anaesthesist (in German). 14 (10): 298–301. PMID 4380161.
  4. ^ Walts LF (1963). "Ventricular tachycardia with gallamine and cyclopropane anesthesia". Anesthesiology. 24: 119. doi:10.1097/00000542-196301000-00024. PMID 13998750.
  5. ^ Raghavendra T (July 2002). "Neuromuscular blocking drugs: discovery and development". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 95 (7): 363–7. doi:10.1177/014107680209500713. PMC 1279945. PMID 12091515.