Butylscopolamine, also known as scopolamine butylbromide, butylhyoscine and hyoscine butylbromide, is a peripherally acting antimuscarinic, anticholinergic agent used as an abdominal

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

-specific antispasmodic

Antispasmodic

An antispasmodic is a drug or a herb that suppresses muscle spasms.-Smooth muscle spasm:One type of antispasmodics is used for smooth muscle contraction, especially in tubular organs of the gastrointestinal tract...

. It is a quaternary ammonium compound and a semisynthetic derivative of scopolamine

Scopolamine

Scopolamine, also known as levo-duboisine, and hyoscine, is a tropane alkaloid drug with muscarinic antagonist effects. It is among the secondary metabolites of plants from Solanaceae family of plants, such as henbane, jimson weed and Angel's Trumpets , and corkwood...

. It is marketed under the trade name Buscopan by Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH

Boehringer-Ingelheim

C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Ko. KG is the parent company of Boehringer Ingelheim, which was founded in 1885 by Albert Boehringer in Ingelheim am Rhein. The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally...

, Germany, who also offer a combination of butylscopolamine and paracetamol

Paracetamol

Paracetamol INN , or acetaminophen USAN , is a widely used over-the-counter analgesic and antipyretic . It is commonly used for the relief of headaches and other minor aches and pains and is a major ingredient in numerous cold and flu remedies...

, marketed under the name Buscopan Plus (in some countries, Buscopan Compositum).

Butylscopolamine is used to treat pain and discomfort caused by abdominal cramps, menstrual cramps, or other spasmodic activity in the digestive system. It is also effective at preventing bladder spasm

Bladder spasm

A bladder spasm is a contraction of the bladder which generates an urge to urinate, sometimes accompanied by extreme pain. Incontinence may occur if the bladder spasm continues, as the contraction will force urine out...

s. It is not an analgesic

Analgesic

An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....

 in the normal sense, since it doesn't 'mask' or 'cover over' the pain, but rather works to prevent painful cramps and spasms from occurring in the first place. The attachment of the butyl-bromide moiety effectively prevents the movement of this drug across the blood-brain barrier

Blood-brain barrier

The blood–brain barrier is a separation of circulating blood and the brain extracellular fluid in the central nervous system . It occurs along all capillaries and consists of tight junctions around the capillaries that do not exist in normal circulation. Endothelial cells restrict the diffusion...

, effectively minimising undesirable CNS

Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...

side-effects associated with scopolamine/hyoscine.

Abuse

Butylscopolamine is generally not reported to be euphorogenic or strongly sedative, and has a low incidence of abuse. It should not be used for extended periods.

External links

• Buscopan/Buscapina from Boehringer Ingelheim
• IBS relief from Boehringer Ingelheim