Biomaterial Database

Centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants and associated drugs. 1994

H J Waldman

Pain Consortium of Greater Kansas City, Leawood.

A review of available studies supports a role for muscle relaxants in the treatment of painful musculoskeletal disorders. The utility of these drugs is limited by sedation and other side effects, as well as by the potential for abuse and dependency. Other drugs can also be used in the treatment of muscle spasm, specifically diazepam, baclofen, dantrolene sodium, and quinine sulfate. The pharmacology of the muscle relaxants and these other agents is discussed and practical suggestions for use are offered.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009125	Muscle Relaxants, Central	A heterogeneous group of drugs used to produce muscle relaxation, excepting the neuromuscular blocking agents. They have their primary clinical and therapeutic uses in the treatment of muscle spasm and immobility associated with strains, sprains, and injuries of the back and, to a lesser degree, injuries to the neck. They have been used also for the treatment of a variety of clinical conditions that have in common only the presence of skeletal muscle hyperactivity, for example, the muscle spasms that can occur in MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. (From Smith and Reynard, Textbook of Pharmacology, 1991, p358)	Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants,Central Muscle Relaxants,Relaxants, Central Muscle
D009128	Muscle Spasticity	A form of muscle hypertonia associated with upper MOTOR NEURON DISEASE. Resistance to passive stretch of a spastic muscle results in minimal initial resistance (a "free interval") followed by an incremental increase in muscle tone. Tone increases in proportion to the velocity of stretch. Spasticity is usually accompanied by HYPERREFLEXIA and variable degrees of MUSCLE WEAKNESS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p54)	Clasp-Knife Spasticity,Spastic,Clasp Knife Spasticity,Spasticity, Clasp-Knife,Spasticity, Muscle
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013035	Spasm	An involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles. Spasms may involve SKELETAL MUSCLE or SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Muscle Spasm,Muscular Spasm,Spasm, Ciliary Body,Spasm, Generalized,Ciliary Body Spasm,Ciliary Body Spasms,Generalized Spasm,Generalized Spasms,Muscle Spasms,Muscular Spasms,Spasm, Muscle,Spasm, Muscular,Spasms,Spasms, Ciliary Body,Spasms, Generalized,Spasms, Muscle,Spasms, Muscular
D018482	Muscle, Skeletal	A subtype of striated muscle, attached by TENDONS to the SKELETON. Skeletal muscles are innervated and their movement can be consciously controlled. They are also called voluntary muscles.	Anterior Tibial Muscle,Gastrocnemius Muscle,Muscle, Voluntary,Plantaris Muscle,Skeletal Muscle,Soleus Muscle,Muscle, Anterior Tibial,Muscle, Gastrocnemius,Muscle, Plantaris,Muscle, Soleus,Muscles, Skeletal,Muscles, Voluntary,Skeletal Muscles,Tibial Muscle, Anterior,Voluntary Muscle,Voluntary Muscles