Tubocurarine

Abstract

Tubocurarine is a kind of alkaloid isolated from various plant extract alkaloid arrow poisons which has a common name curare. The active dextrorotatory form was first purified by R. Boehm in 1879. It was first used in clinical practice in 1942, and it was the first typical non-depolarizing muscle relaxant. It binds the N2 cholinergic receptor on the motor nerve endplate and competitively blocks ACh-mediated depolarization, thus relaxing skeletal muscle. The drug is difficult to absorb under oral administration. For the intravenous injection, it is clinically used for anesthesia adjuvant drugs such as tracheal intubation and thoracoabdominal surgery. This drug also blocks ganglion and the release of histamine, causing a decline in heart rate and blood pressure, bronchial spasm, increased saliva secretion, etc. Artificial respiration and use of neostigmine are needed when large doses cause respiratory muscle paralysis. Due to the limitations of its plant source and more adverse reactions, this drug is now less used.