Muscle Relaxants and Its Usage
A drug which decreases muscle tone by affecting skeletal muscle function is known as muscle relaxant. It blocks the transmission of nerve impulses or decreases excitability of motor-end plate or uses other ways to reduce muscle contractility. To put in a layman's language, it is a drug which relieves and relaxes muscle tension.
Most of us may not be aware that muscle relaxants were used as early as 16th century in the South American continent. Arrow tips were dipped in poison to produce skeletal muscle paralysis which eventually leads to death. The present muscle are based on these principles. Those poison tipped arrows used curare as their poison. Curare was used in earlier studies of pharmacology as well. It has tubocurarine which was used in research of neuromuscular transmission.
Muscle relaxants are broadly classified in two categories as follows:-
Spasmolytics: Spasmolytics are also called as centrally acting muscle. It gets its name for it reduces spasticity in many neurological conditions. Spasmolytics normally act at brain stem, cortex and spinal cord or even all the three areas and hence they are called as relaxants which act centrally. Spasmolytics are also known as antispasmodic and are commonly used for low back pain, neck pain and headaches related to tension.
Neuromuscular Blockers: Neuromuscular blockers interfere with transmission at the neuromuscular end plate. These types of muscle relaxants have no CNS activity. They are normally used in intensive care units and surgical procedures. They are also used as an emergency medicine for causing paralysis. At around 1940, doctors started using neuromuscular-blocking medicines as muscle relaxants during surgeries. Factors taken into consideration while choosing a muscle are side effects, efficiency, tolerance and cost. Adverse effects are a major worry for all muscle relaxants. These effects include drowsiness, dizziness and some major effects on our bodies as well. These drugs are recommended upon their tolerability with cost being a minor concern as efficiency is what people seem to look for.
Dantrolene is used for neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. Rapid muscle contraction is more sensitive as compared to a muscle which contracts gradually.
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