Suxamethonium chloride, [Scoline, Sucostrin] also known as suxamethonium or succinylcholine, or simply sux by medical abbreviation,[4] is a medication used to cause short-term paralysis as part of general anesthesia.[5] This is done to help with tracheal intubation or electroconvulsive therapy.[5] It is administered by injection, either into a vein or into a muscle.[6] When used in a vein, onset of action is generally within one minute and effects last for up to 10 minutes.[6]
Suxamethonium chloride
Clinical data
Pronunciation
/ˌsʌksɪnɪlˈkoʊliːn/
Trade names
Quelicin, Anectine, others
AHFS/Drugs.com
Monograph
License data
US DailyMed: Succinylcholine
Pregnancy
category
AU: A
Routes of
administration
Intravenous, intramuscular
ATC code
M03AB01 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status
AU: S4 (Prescription only)
UK: POM (Prescription only)
US: WARNING[1]Rx-only[2][3]
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability
NA
Metabolism
By pseudocholinesterase, to succinylmonocholine and choline
Onset of action
30–60 sec (IV), 2–3 min (IM)
Duration of action
< 10 min (IV), 10–30 min (IM)
Excretion
Kidney (10%)
Identifiers
IUPAC name
2,2'-[(1,4-dioxobutane-1,4-diyl)bis(oxy)]bis
(N,N,N-trimethylethanaminium)
CAS Number
306-40-1
PubChem CID
22475
IUPHAR/BPS
4004
DrugBank
DB00202
ChemSpider
21080
UNII
J2R869A8YF
KEGG
D00766
ChEBI
CHEBI:61219
ChEMBL
ChEMBL983
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
DTXSID7048455
Chemical and physical data
Formula
C14H30Cl2N2O4
Molar mass
361.30 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Interactive image
SMILES
[Cl-].[Cl-].O=C(OCC[N+](C)(C)C)CCC(=O)OCC[N+](C)(C)C
InChI
InChI=1S/C14H30N2O4.2ClH/c1-15(2,3)9-11-19-13(17)7-8-14(18)20-12-10-16(4,5)6;;/h7-12H2,1-6H3;2*1H/q+2;;/p-2
Key:YOEWQQVKRJEPAE-UHFFFAOYSA-L
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Common side effects include low blood pressure, increased saliva production, muscle pain, and rash.[6] Serious side effects include malignant hyperthermia, hyperkalemia and allergic reactions.[7][8] It is not recommended in people who are at risk of high blood potassium or a history of myopathy.[5] Use during pregnancy appears to be safe for the baby.[9]
Suxamethonium is in the neuromuscular blocker family of medications and is of the depolarizing type.[6] It works by blocking the action of acetylcholine on skeletal muscles.[6]
Suxamethonium was described as early as 1906 and came into medical use in 1951.[4] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[10] Suxamethonium is available as a generic medication.[6]
