Drotaverine hydrochlorideProduct ingredient for Drotaverine

Drotaverine is an antispasmodic drug that works by inhibiting phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4).⁵ It is a benzylisoquinoline derivative that is structurally related to papaverine, although it displays more potent antispasmodic activities than papaverine. Drotaverine has been used in the symptomatic treatment of various spastic conditions, such as gastrointestinal diseases, biliary dyskinesia, and vasomotor diseases associated with smooth muscle spasms.¹ It also has been investigated in dysmenorrhea, abortion, ³ and augmentation of labour.⁴ More recently, drotaverine gained attention in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, parainfluenza, and avian influenza viruses.⁵

Drotaverine is not approved by the FDA, European Medicines Agency, or Health Canada. It is approved for use in Thailand as oral tablets or intramuscular injections.¹⁰