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Related Concept Videos

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses01:31

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses

Skeletal muscle relaxants are used to relax muscle tone and alleviate painful muscle contractions. However, the choice of skeletal muscle relaxants depends on the duration of the surgical procedure in order to minimize potential side effects. Skeletal muscle relaxants like neuromuscular blocking agents [NMBAs] are commonly employed as adjuvants alongside general anesthetics in clinical settings. NMBAs are also used to maintain controlled ventilation during surgery of the larynx or pharynx as...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
Peripherally and Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: A Comparison01:09

Peripherally and Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: A Comparison

Skeletal muscle relaxants can target the central nervous system [CNS] to reduce muscle tension or act directly at the neuromuscular junction to induce temporary paralysis. These two classes of muscle relaxants are called centrally acting muscle relaxants and peripherally acting muscle relaxants. They differ in their action, mechanism, administration route, and clinical uses.
Centrally acting muscle relaxants can be further divided into spasmolytic and antispasmodic drugs. Spasmolytic drugs,...

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Updated: May 28, 2026

Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Managing Allergic Rhinitis
03:40

Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Managing Allergic Rhinitis

Published on: December 20, 2024

Muscle relaxants allergy.

D G Peroni1, N Sansotta, R Bernardini

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. diego.peroni@univr.it

International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology
|October 22, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) cause most intraoperative anaphylaxis, with both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated reactions occurring. Allergy testing is crucial for identifying patients at risk and preventing future reactions.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 28, 2026

Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Managing Allergic Rhinitis
03:40

Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Managing Allergic Rhinitis

Published on: December 20, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Immunology
  • Allergology

Background:

  • Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are the most frequent cause of intraoperative anaphylaxis, accounting for 50-70% of allergic reactions during anesthesia.
  • Hypersensitivity reactions to NMBAs include acute type I allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and non-IgE mediated reactions (20-35%).
  • Non-allergic suspected reactions to NMBAs occur with similar frequency to allergic reactions, often due to direct mast cell activation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the prevalence and mechanisms of hypersensitivity reactions to NMBAs.
  • To emphasize the importance of allergy investigation and risk identification in patients experiencing anaphylaxis during anesthesia.
  • To advocate for systematic allergy testing in children following hypersensitivity reactions during general anesthesia.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on intraoperative anaphylaxis and NMBAs.
  • Analysis of reported cases of hypersensitivity reactions to NMBAs.
  • Discussion of diagnostic procedures including skin testing and IgE assessment.

Main Results:

  • NMBAs are the primary agents responsible for intraoperative anaphylaxis.
  • Both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to NMBAs are significant.
  • Positive skin tests to NMBAs contraindicate their future use, irrespective of IgE results.

Conclusions:

  • Systematic allergy testing is justified for hypersensitivity reactions during general anesthesia, especially in children.
  • An active policy for identifying at-risk patients and supporting clinicians is needed.
  • Understanding NMBA hypersensitivity is crucial for evolving anesthesiologic practices and patient safety.