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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...
Spasmolytic Agents: Chemical Classification01:29

Spasmolytic Agents: Chemical Classification

Spasmolytic agents are drugs used to alleviate muscle spasms and spasticity. They can be categorized into different chemical groups based on their mechanisms of action. Centrally acting spasmolytics primarily affect the spinal cord, while others directly target skeletal muscle cells.
A major class of centrally acting spasmolytics is the α2-agonist, such as tizanidine. These drugs bind to α2-adrenoceptors, inhibiting the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. They also promote...
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,...
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...
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,...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Electromyometrial Imaging of Uterine Contractions in Pregnant Women
08:07

Electromyometrial Imaging of Uterine Contractions in Pregnant Women

Published on: May 26, 2023

Antispasmodics for labour.

Anke C Rohwer1, Oswell Khondowe, Taryn Young

  • 1Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa. arohwer@sun.ac.z

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|June 6, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Antispasmodics may shorten labor duration and speed cervical dilation, but evidence quality is low. More research is needed to confirm benefits and safety for prolonged labor interventions.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Electromyometrial Imaging of Uterine Contractions in Pregnant Women
08:07

Electromyometrial Imaging of Uterine Contractions in Pregnant Women

Published on: May 26, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • Prolonged labor increases maternal and neonatal mortality/morbidity risks, especially in low-resource settings.
  • Early detection and intervention are crucial for managing prolonged labor.
  • Antispasmodics are investigated as potential interventions to shorten labor duration and improve cervical dilation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and assess the effects of antispasmodics on labor in term pregnancies.
  • To evaluate antispasmodics as a preventative or treatment strategy for prolonged labor.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
  • Searched multiple databases including Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register.
  • Included RCTs comparing antispasmodics with placebo or no medication in women with term pregnancies.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-one trials (n=3286) were included; 17 (n=2617) in meta-analysis.
  • Antispasmodics significantly reduced the first stage of labor (MD -74.34 min) and total labor duration (MD -85.51 min).
  • Increased cervical dilatation rate (MD 0.61 cm/hour) but did not affect second/third stages or normal vertex delivery rates.

Conclusions:

  • Low-quality evidence suggests antispasmodics shorten the first stage of labor and increase cervical dilation rate.
  • Very low-quality evidence suggests a reduction in total labor duration.
  • Moderate-quality evidence indicates no effect on normal vertex delivery rates; safety data is insufficient, necessitating large, rigorous RCTs.