Drotaverineis an antispasmodic drug, structurally related to papaverine. Drotaverine is a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4, and has no anticholinergic effects. Drotaverine has been shown to possess dose-dependant analgesic effects in animal models. Drotaverine has been shown to be effective in paracervical block in managing pain during hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy when administered together with mefenamic acid. Irritable bowel syndrome patients presenting with predominant diarrhea are more likely to benefit from Buscopan. Drotaverin has also been tested in combination with rimantadine for antiviral activity against A and B type influenza. Drotaverine is eliminated mainly non-renally and found that "the high variation in the bioavailability of drotaverine HCl after oral administration may result in significant interindividual differences in therapeutic response".
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