Papaverine: Vasodilator Medication for Various Medical Conditions

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What is papaverine used for?

Papaverine ( Latin papaver, "poppy") is an opium alkaloid antispasmodic drug, used primarily in the treatment of visceral spasms and vasospasms (especially those involving the intestines, heart, or brain), occasionally in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and acute mesenteric ischemia.

Is papaverine a vasodilator?

Written by Cerner Multum. What is papaverine? Papaverine is a vasodilator that relaxes smooth muscles in your blood vessels to help them dilate (widen). This lowers blood pressure and allows blood to flow more easily through your veins and arteries. Papaverine is used to treat many conditions that cause spasm of smooth muscle.

How does papaverine work?

The main actions of Papaverine are exerted on cardiac and smooth muscle. Like qathidine, Papaverine acts directly on the heart muscle to depress conduction and prolong the refractory period. Papaverine relaxes various smooth muscles. This relaxation may be prominent if spasm exists.

Is Papaverine an antispasmodic?

The antispasmodic effect is a direct one, and unrelated to muscle innervation. Papaverine is practically devoid of effects on the central nervous system. Papaverine relaxes the smooth musculature of the larger blood vessels, especially coronary, systemic peripheral, and pulmonary arteries.

What Is Papaverine

1. https://www.drugs.com/mtm/papaverine.html
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaverine
3. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682707.html
4. https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB01113
5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/papaverine-injection-route/description/drg-20065314
6. https://www.rxlist.com/papaverine-drug.htm
7. https://www.medicinenet.com/papaverine-oral/article.htm

Papaverine Information

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10095881/