Papaverine is an alkaloid used to treat many types of smooth muscle spasms such as "vascular spasms" associated with acute myocardial infarction and angina pectoris, as well as "visceral spasms". An alkaloid found in opium but not closely related to the other opium alkaloids in its structure or pharmacological actions.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
Perhaps by its direct vasodilating action on cerebral blood vessels, Papaverine increases cerebral blood flow and decreases cerebral vascular resistance in normal subjects; oxygen consumption is unaltered. These effects may explain the benefit reported from the drug in cerebral vascular encephalopathy.
- Primary indication
- For the treatment of impotence and vasospasms.Curator reviewed · 2 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C20H21NO4 · 339.385 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2005
- Also known as
- Papavarine
Resolves to
XQYZDYMELSJDRZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESCOC1=C(OC)C=C(CC2=NC=CC3=CC(OC)=C(OC)C=C23)C=C1What you can answer from here — as of September 12, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Papaverine, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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