Decamethonium

Decamethonium (Syncurine) is a depolarizing muscle relaxant or neuromuscular blocking agent, and is used in anesthesia to induce paralysis.

Decamethonium

Clinical data
ATC code	None
Identifiers
IUPAC name Trimethyl-(10-trimethylammoniodecyl)ammonium
CAS Number	156-74-1 Y
PubChem CID	10921
DrugBank	DB01245 Y
ChemSpider	10459 Y
UNII	C1CG1S3T2W
ChEBI	CHEBI:41934 N
ChEMBL	ChEMBL1134 Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID5048394
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C16H38N2
Molar mass	258.494 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES [Br-].[Br-].C(CCCC[N+](C)(C)C)CCCCC[N+](C)(C)C
InChI InChI=1S/C16H38N2.2BrH/c1-17(2,3)15-13-11-9-7-8-10-12-14-16-18(4,5)6;;/h7-16H2,1-6H3;2*1H/q+2;;/p-2 Y Key:HLXQFVXURMXRPU-UHFFFAOYSA-L Y
NY (what is this?)  (verify)

Pharmacology

Decamethonium, which has a short action time, is similar to acetylcholine and acts as a partial agonist of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. In the motor endplate, it causes depolarization, preventing further effects to the normal release of acetylcholine from the presynaptic terminal, and therefore preventing the neural stimulus from affecting the muscle. In the process of binding, decamethonium activates (depolarizes) the motor endplate - but since the decamethonium itself is not degraded, the membrane remains depolarized and unresponsive to normal acetylcholine release.

Contraindications/limitations

Decamethonium does not produce unconsciousness or anesthesia, and its effects may cause considerable psychological distress while simultaneously making it impossible for a patient to communicate. For these reasons, administration of the drug to a conscious patient is strongly advised against, except in necessary emergency situations.

Decamethonium was used clinically in the UK for many years, but it is now available only for research purposes.

See also

• Suxamethonium
• Hexamethonium