Anesthesia Pharmacology:  Neuromuscular Blocking Agents and Muscle Relaxants

• Drugs for Acute Local Spasm

  • Sedatives acting at the brain stem or spinal cord level include:

    1.  Carisoprodol (Soma, Rela)

    2.  Chlorphenesin (Maolate)

    3.  Chlorzoxazone (Paraflex,generic)

    4.  Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)-- not useful for muscle spasms secondary to spinal cord injury or cerebral palsy; strong antimuscarinic and sedative effects

    5.  Metaxalone (Skelaxin)

    6.  Methocarbamol (Robaxin)

    7.  Orphenadrine (Norflex)

Katzung, B.G.., Skeletal Muscle Relaxants, in Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, (Katzung, B. G., ed) Appleton-Lange, 1998, pp 434-449;White, P. F. "Anesthesia Drug Manual", W.B. Saunders Company, 1996