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Related Concept Videos

Classification of Skeletal Muscle Relaxants01:28

Classification of Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

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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...
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Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects01:21

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects

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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...
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Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses01:31

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses

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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...
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Depolarizing Blockers: Mechanism of Action01:28

Depolarizing Blockers: Mechanism of Action

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Depolarizing blockers act on skeletal muscle fibers' membranes and induce their depolarization. Most depolarizing blockers have two quaternary N+ atoms that bind the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and cause neuromuscular blockade within minutes.
Succinylcholine is the most commonly used depolarizing blocker. Chemically, it constitutes two molecules of acetylcholine joined together by an acetate methyl group. They act on the receptors in the same way as acetylcholine. Because...
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Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin01:26

Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin

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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...
1.4K
Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses01:24

Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses

1.6K
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,...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Optimized Griess Reaction for UV-Vis and Naked-eye Determination of Anti-malarial Primaquine
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Optimized Griess Reaction for UV-Vis and Naked-eye Determination of Anti-malarial Primaquine

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Quinine for muscle cramps.

Sherif El-Tawil1, Tarique Al Musa, Haseeb Valli

  • 1Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, PO Box 114, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK, WC1N 3BG.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|April 6, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Quinine effectively reduces muscle cramp frequency and intensity, with minor side effects. However, evidence quality is low to moderate, and further research is needed for optimal use and alternative treatments.

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Membrane Potentials, Synaptic Responses, Neuronal Circuitry, Neuromodulation and Muscle Histology Using the Crayfish: Student Laboratory Exercises
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Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pharmacology
  • Evidence-based Medicine

Background:

  • Muscle cramps are common and treated with quinine, but its efficacy and safety are debated.
  • This review updates previous findings on quinine for muscle cramps.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the efficacy and safety of quinine-based agents for treating muscle cramps.

Main Methods:

  • Searched multiple databases up to 2014 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of quinine for muscle cramps.
  • Included 23 trials with 1586 participants, assessing risk of bias and extracting data.
  • Evaluated evidence quality using GRADE methodology.

Main Results:

  • Quinine significantly reduced cramp number (28%), intensity (10%), and days (20%) compared to placebo.
  • Minor adverse events (gastrointestinal) were more frequent with quinine, but major adverse events were not significantly different.
  • Quinine-theophylline combination showed greater efficacy than quinine alone in one trial.

Conclusions:

  • Low to moderate quality evidence supports quinine's efficacy in reducing cramp frequency and intensity.
  • Serious adverse events were not significantly higher than placebo in trials up to 60 days, but caution is advised due to rare fatal events.
  • Further research is warranted for optimal quinine dosage, duration, and alternative therapies like theophylline.