Comparative clinical study of pipecurium bromide and pancuronium bromide

The properties and the effects of a new steroid muscle relaxant preparation 2 beta,16 beta-bis(4'-dimethyl-1'-piperazino)-3 alpha,17 beta-diacetoxy-5 alpha-androstane dibromide (pipecurium bromide, RGH-1106, Arduan) were compared to those of pancuronium bromide in a controlled randomized clinicopharmacological study using ataranalgesic anaesthesiological technique. In 45 cases pipecurium bromide, in other 45 cases pancuronium bromide was used as long-acting muscle relaxant in anaesthesia for general surgical procedures. According to the results, pipecurium bromide is approximately 20% more potent than pancuronium bromide, it induces mechanical response characteristic for non-depolarizing muscle relaxants, and the residual neuromuscular blockade can be antagonized completely by neostigmine. There were no ECG alterations or specific serum enzyme (CPK, GOT. LDH) level changes observed. Pipecurium bromide did not influence blood pressure but in contrast to the heart rate increasing effect of pancuronium bromide, it caused mild bradycardia. On the basis of the study the drug can be used for further wide scale clinical investigations.