Antispasmodic
Encyclopedia
An antispasmodic is a drug
or a herb that suppresses muscle spasm
s.
contraction, especially in tubular organs of the gastrointestinal tract
. The effect is to prevent spasm
s of the stomach
, intestine
or urinary bladder
.
Both dicyclomine
and hyoscyamine
are antispasmodic due to their anticholinergic
action. Both of these drugs have general side effects and can worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease
.
Mebeverine
, which is a muscolotropic spasmolytic with a strong and selective action on the smooth muscle spasm of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly of the colon. It does not have the acetylecholine side effect commonly seen in an anticholinergic antispasmodic.
Papaverine
is an opium
alkaloid
used to treat visceral spasm
s, erectile dysfunction
and investigated as antipsychotic
drug due to it's potency to inhibit phosphodiesterase
PDE10A
.
Peppermint oil has been traditionally used as an antispasmodic, and a review of studies on the topic found that it "could be efficacious for symptom relief in IBS
" (as an antispasmodic) although more carefully controlled studies are needed. A later study showed it is an effective antispasmodic when test-applied topically to the intestine during endoscopy
.
The flower Liatris
, also called blazing star, has also been used as an antispasmodic. Another old common name for this plant is Colic Root, alluding to its medicinal use as an antispasmodic for the intestines.
Most forms of Cannabis
Indica are a highly effective antispasmodic.
Bamboo shoots have been used for gastrointestinal and antispasmodic symptoms.
?Anisotropine,Atropine,Cindinium Cap are also the most commonly used modern antispasmodics.
musculoskeletal
conditions when physical therapy
is unavailable or has not been fully successful. Another class of antispasmodics for such treatment includes cyclobenzaprine
, carisoprodol
, orphenadrine
, and tizanidine
. Effectiveness has not been clearly shown for metaxalone
, methocarbamol
, chlorzoxazone, baclofen
, or dantrolene
. Applicable conditions include acute back or neck pain, or pain after an injury.
Spasm may also be seen in movement disorders featuring spasticity
in neurologic conditions such as cerebral palsy
, multiple sclerosis
, and spinal cord disease. Medications are commonly used for spastic movement disorders, but research has not shown functional benefit for some drugs. Some studies have shown that medications have been effective in decreasing spasticity, but that this has not been accompanied by functional benefits. Medications such as baclofen
, tizanidine
, and dantrolene
have been used.
Medication
A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...
or a herb that suppresses muscle spasm
Spasm
In medicine a spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. It is sometimes accompanied by a sudden burst of pain, but is usually harmless and ceases after a few minutes...
s.
Smooth muscle spasm
One type of antispasmodics is used for smooth muscleSmooth muscle
Smooth muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle. It is divided into two sub-groups; the single-unit and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit smooth muscle tissues, the autonomic nervous system innervates a single cell within a sheet or bundle and the action potential is propagated by...
contraction, especially in tubular organs of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastrointestinal tract
The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....
. The effect is to prevent spasm
Spasm
In medicine a spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. It is sometimes accompanied by a sudden burst of pain, but is usually harmless and ceases after a few minutes...
s of the stomach
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
, intestine
Intestine
In human anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine...
or urinary bladder
Urinary bladder
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...
.
Both dicyclomine
Dicyclomine
Dicyclomine, also known as dicycloverine, is an anticholinergic that blocks muscarinic receptors. Dicycloverine was first synthesized in the United States circa 1947.- Clinical uses :...
and hyoscyamine
Hyoscyamine
Hyoscyamine is a tropane alkaloid. It is a secondary metabolite found in certain plants of the Solanaceae family, including henbane , mandrake , jimsonweed , tomato and deadly nightshade...
are antispasmodic due to their anticholinergic
Anticholinergic
An anticholinergic agent is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central and the peripheral nervous system. An example of an anticholinergic is dicycloverine, and the classic example is atropine....
action. Both of these drugs have general side effects and can worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease , gastro-oesophageal reflux disease , gastric reflux disease, or acid reflux disease is chronic symptoms or mucosal damage caused by stomach acid coming up from the stomach into the esophagus...
.
Mebeverine
Mebeverine
Mebeverine is a musculotropic antispasmodic drug without atropic side-effects whose major therapeutic role is in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. It is also indicated for treatment of gastrointestinal spasm secondary to organic disorder. It was first registered in 1965...
, which is a muscolotropic spasmolytic with a strong and selective action on the smooth muscle spasm of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly of the colon. It does not have the acetylecholine side effect commonly seen in an anticholinergic antispasmodic.
Papaverine
Papaverine
Papaverine is an opium alkaloid antispasmodic drug, used primarily in the treatment of visceral spasm, vasospasm , and occasionally in the treatment of erectile dysfunction...
is an opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
used to treat visceral spasm
Spasm
In medicine a spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. It is sometimes accompanied by a sudden burst of pain, but is usually harmless and ceases after a few minutes...
s, erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance....
and investigated as antipsychotic
Antipsychotic
An antipsychotic is a tranquilizing psychiatric medication primarily used to manage psychosis , particularly in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A first generation of antipsychotics, known as typical antipsychotics, was discovered in the 1950s...
drug due to it's potency to inhibit phosphodiesterase
Phosphodiesterase
A phosphodiesterase is any enzyme that breaks a phosphodiester bond. Usually, people speaking of phosphodiesterase are referring to cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, which have great clinical significance and are described below...
PDE10A
PDE10A
cAMP and cAMP-inhibited cGMP 3',5'-cyclic phosphodiesterase 10A is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PDE10A gene.Various cellular responses are regulated by the second messengers cAMP and cGMP...
.
Peppermint oil has been traditionally used as an antispasmodic, and a review of studies on the topic found that it "could be efficacious for symptom relief in IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements...
" (as an antispasmodic) although more carefully controlled studies are needed. A later study showed it is an effective antispasmodic when test-applied topically to the intestine during endoscopy
Endoscopy
Endoscopy means looking inside and typically refers to looking inside the body for medical reasons using an endoscope , an instrument used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Unlike most other medical imaging devices, endoscopes are inserted directly into the organ...
.
The flower Liatris
Liatris
Liatris is a genus of ornamental plants in the Asteraceae family, native to North America, Mexico, and the Bahamas. These plants are used as a popular summer flowers for bouquets.They are perennials, surviving the winter in the form of corms....
, also called blazing star, has also been used as an antispasmodic. Another old common name for this plant is Colic Root, alluding to its medicinal use as an antispasmodic for the intestines.
Most forms of Cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
Indica are a highly effective antispasmodic.
Bamboo shoots have been used for gastrointestinal and antispasmodic symptoms.
?Anisotropine,Atropine,Cindinium Cap are also the most commonly used modern antispasmodics.
Skeletal muscle spasm
Pharmacotherapy may be used for acuteAcute (medicine)
In medicine, an acute disease is a disease with either or both of:# a rapid onset, as in acute infection# a short course ....
musculoskeletal
Musculoskeletal system
A musculoskeletal system is an organ system that gives animals the ability to move using the muscular and skeletal systems...
conditions when physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
is unavailable or has not been fully successful. Another class of antispasmodics for such treatment includes cyclobenzaprine
Cyclobenzaprine
Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant medication used to relieve skeletal muscle spasms and associated pain in acute musculoskeletal conditions. It is the most well-studied drug for this application, and it also has been used off-label for fibromyalgia treatment.- Mechanism of action :The mechanism...
, carisoprodol
Carisoprodol
Carisoprodol is a centrally-acting skeletal muscle relaxant. Carisoprodol is slightly soluble in water and freely soluble in alcohol, chloroform and acetone. The drug's solubility is practically independent of pH. Carisoprodol is manufactured and marketed in the United States by Meda Pharmaceuticals...
, orphenadrine
Orphenadrine
Orphenadrine is an anticholinergic drug of the ethanolamine antihistamine class with prominent CNS and peripheral actions used to treat painful muscle spasms, other similar conditions, as well as the treatment...
, and tizanidine
Tizanidine
Tizanidine is a drug that is used as a muscle relaxant. It is a centrally acting α2 adrenergic agonist. It is used to treat the spasms, cramping, and tightness of muscles caused by medical problems such as multiple sclerosis, spastic diplegia, back pain, or certain other injuries to the spine or...
. Effectiveness has not been clearly shown for metaxalone
Metaxalone
Metaxalone is a muscle relaxant used to relax muscles and relieve pain caused by strains, sprains, and other musculoskeletal conditions. Its exact mechanism of action is not known, but it may be due to general central nervous system depression...
, methocarbamol
Methocarbamol
Methocarbamol is a central muscle relaxant used to treat skeletal muscle spasms...
, chlorzoxazone, baclofen
Baclofen
Baclofen is a derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid . It is primarily used to treat spasticity and is under investigation for the treatment of alcoholism....
, or dantrolene
Dantrolene
Dantrolene sodium is a muscle relaxant that acts by abolishing excitation-contraction coupling in muscle cells, probably by action on the ryanodine receptor. It is the only specific and effective treatment for malignant hyperthermia, a rare, life-threatening disorder triggered by general anesthesia...
. Applicable conditions include acute back or neck pain, or pain after an injury.
Spasm may also be seen in movement disorders featuring spasticity
Spasticity
Spasticity is a feature of altered skeletal muscle performance in muscle tone involving hypertonia, which is also referred to as an unusual "tightness" of muscles...
in neurologic conditions such as cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, and spinal cord disease. Medications are commonly used for spastic movement disorders, but research has not shown functional benefit for some drugs. Some studies have shown that medications have been effective in decreasing spasticity, but that this has not been accompanied by functional benefits. Medications such as baclofen
Baclofen
Baclofen is a derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid . It is primarily used to treat spasticity and is under investigation for the treatment of alcoholism....
, tizanidine
Tizanidine
Tizanidine is a drug that is used as a muscle relaxant. It is a centrally acting α2 adrenergic agonist. It is used to treat the spasms, cramping, and tightness of muscles caused by medical problems such as multiple sclerosis, spastic diplegia, back pain, or certain other injuries to the spine or...
, and dantrolene
Dantrolene
Dantrolene sodium is a muscle relaxant that acts by abolishing excitation-contraction coupling in muscle cells, probably by action on the ryanodine receptor. It is the only specific and effective treatment for malignant hyperthermia, a rare, life-threatening disorder triggered by general anesthesia...
have been used.