Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects01:21

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects

Skeletal muscle relaxants are widely used for muscle paralysis and relieving pain following any muscle injury or stiffness. However, depending on the drug type, they can have adverse effects that range from mild to severe. Usually, nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers have minimal side effects. For example, drugs like d-tubocurarine, cisatracurium, and rocuronium cause hypotension, whereas drugs like baclofen, when stopped abruptly, can lead to the recurrence of spastic conditions.
Unlike...
Classification of Skeletal Muscle Relaxants01:28

Classification of Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

Skeletal muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that can reduce muscle stiffness and induce temporary paralysis to relieve pain. These agents can act centrally to reduce muscle tone or spasms in painful conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or spinal injuries; they are called antispasmodics or spasmolytics.
Peripherally acting skeletal muscle relaxants interfere with the neurotransmission at the neuromuscular end plate to induce paralysis during...
Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle01:28

Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle

The clinical conditions affecting the skeletal muscle tissue are broadly categorized as musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders.
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin01:26

Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin

Directly acting muscle relaxants like dantrolene and botulinum toxin (BoNT) have distinct mechanisms and applications. Dantrolene, a hydantoin derivative, acts on the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) in skeletal muscle cells. RYR1 are calcium channels present at the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In response to excitation, they release calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the cytosol. Calcium promotes actin-myosin-mediated contraction of muscles.
The binding of dantrolene to the RYR1...
Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses01:24

Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses

Centrally acting muscle relaxants reduce muscle tone and tension by interfering with the postsynaptic reflexes in the central nervous system.
Centrally acting drugs are classified into spasmolytic and antispasmodic drugs. Spasmolytic drugs such as baclofen, diazepam, and tizanidine inhibit spinal motor neurons and decrease muscle tone. Spasmolytic drugs are administered for severe and chronic spasms due to multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, and spinal cord and muscle injuries. However,...
Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment01:20

Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment

Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular transmission disorder characterized by weakness and increased fatigability of skeletal muscles. It is an autoimmune disease affecting approximately one in 2000 people, where antibodies against the α1 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are produced.
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which leads...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Case Report: Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis, myositis, and myasthenia gravis overlap syndrome with flow cytometric phenotyping before and after treatment in a patient with urothelial carcinoma.

Frontiers in immunology·2026
Same author

Efficacy and Safety of Nanoencapsulated Sirolimus plus Pegadricase: Results from the Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Trials.

Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)·2026
Same author

Understanding the Therapeutic Potential of PD-1 Agonism in Inflammatory and Autoimmune Disorders.

BioDrugs : clinical immunotherapeutics, biopharmaceuticals and gene therapy·2026
Same author

Understanding the Inflammatory Aspect of Osteoarthritis: Lessons from Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Journal of clinical medicine·2026
Same author

Hydrophobic complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) sequences elucidate the cardiotoxic effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Research square·2026
Same author

Systemic inflammation in gout and the impact of treat-to-target urate-lowering therapy.

Rheumatology (Oxford, England)·2025
Same journal

Bridging the Divide in Global Rheumatology.

Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America·2026
Same journal

Foreword.

Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America·2026
Same journal

Pulmonary Complications of Biological Therapies in Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases.

Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America·2026
Same journal

Artificial Intelligence and Social Determinants of Health.

Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America·2026
Same journal

Updates in Ultrasound in Rheumatology.

Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America·2026
Same journal

Health Systems Strengthening to Promote Access to Care for Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases Globally.

Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Behavioral and Locomotor Measurements Using an Open Field Activity Monitoring System for Skeletal Muscle Diseases
06:52

Behavioral and Locomotor Measurements Using an Open Field Activity Monitoring System for Skeletal Muscle Diseases

Published on: September 29, 2014

Drugs causing muscle disease.

Adam Mor1, Robert L Wortmann, Hal J Mitnick

  • 1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 301 East 17th Street Room 1410, New York, NY 10003, USA.

Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America
|March 30, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Drug-induced myopathies can manifest in various ways, from mild creatine phosphokinase elevations to severe muscle symptoms like rhabdomyolysis. This review covers common drug culprits, clinical signs, and treatment strategies for these muscle disorders.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Behavioral and Locomotor Measurements Using an Open Field Activity Monitoring System for Skeletal Muscle Diseases
06:52

Behavioral and Locomotor Measurements Using an Open Field Activity Monitoring System for Skeletal Muscle Diseases

Published on: September 29, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Neurology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Medications are a frequent cause of muscle damage, known as myopathies.
  • These drug-induced myopathies present a spectrum of clinical symptoms.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review commonly prescribed drugs associated with myopathies.
  • To describe the clinical features, diagnostic approaches, and management of drug-induced myopathies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of commonly used drugs causing myopathies.
  • Analysis of clinical presentations, diagnostic criteria, and treatment options.

Main Results:

  • Common drug classes implicated in myopathies include statins, corticosteroids, and certain antivirals.
  • Symptoms range from asymptomatic creatine phosphokinase elevation to severe muscle weakness and rhabdomyolysis.
  • Early diagnosis and drug withdrawal are key management strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Drug-induced myopathies are a significant clinical concern with diverse presentations.
  • Awareness of causative agents and prompt management can prevent severe muscle damage.
  • Further research into mechanisms and novel treatments is warranted.