Alverine

Toxicity

Can produce hypotension and atropine-like toxic effects. Fatality has occurred following overdose with very high doses.

Originator

Alverine citrate,Kemikos

The Uses of Alverine

Anticholinergic.

Indications

Used to relieve cramps or spasms of the stomach and intestines. It is also useful in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and similar conditions. It can also be used to help relieve period pain. Alverine citrate is also under investigation to increase the cytotoxic effects of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 on breast cancer cells.

Definition

ChEBI: A tertiary amine having one ethyl and two 3-phenylprop-1-yl groups attached to the nitrogen. An antispasmodic that acts directly on intestinal and uterine smooth muscle, it is used (particularly as the citrate salt) in the treatment of irritable bowel synd ome.

Background

Alverine is a smooth muscle relaxant used to relieve cramps or spasms of the stomach and intestines. It is therefore useful in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and similar conditions. It can also be used to help relieve period pain.

Manufacturing Process

2 Methods of producing of alverine:
1. 3-Phenylpropylchloride reacted with ethylamine in the presence potassium hydroxide and N-ethyl-3,3'-diphenyldipropylamine (alverine) was obtained.
2. 3-Phenylpropenal reacted with ethylamine in the presence hydrogen and Pt as catalyst and BaSO4 and N-ethyl-3,3'-diphenyldipropylamine (alverine) was obtained.
In practice it is usually used as citrate.

Therapeutic Function

Anticholinergic, Spasmolytic

Pharmacokinetics

Alverine is a smooth muscle relaxant. Smooth muscle is a type of muscle that is not under voluntary control; it is the muscle present in places such as the gut and uterus. Alverine acts directly on the muscle in the gut, causing it to relax. This prevents the muscle spasms which occur in the gut in conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and diverticular disease. Diverticular disease is a condition in which small pouches form in the gut lining. These pouches can trap particles of food and become inflamed and painful. In irritable bowel syndrome the normal activity of the gut muscle is lost. The muscle spasms result in symptoms such as heartburn, abdominal pain and bloating, constipation or diarrhoea. By relaxing the gut muscle, alverine citrate relieves the symptoms of this condition. Alverine also relaxes the smooth muscle in the womb (uterus). It is therefore also used to treat painful menstruation, which is caused by muscle spasms in the uterus (dysmenorrhea).

Metabolism

Rapidly converted to its primary active metabolite, which is then further converted to two secondary metabolites.