Emylcamate (marketed as Striatran by
Merck) is an
anxiolytic
An anxiolytic (; also antipanic or antianxiety agent) is a medication or other intervention that reduces anxiety. This effect is in contrast to anxiogenic agents which increase anxiety. Anxiolytic medications are used for the treatment of anxiet ...
and
muscle relaxant
A muscle relaxant is a drug that affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therap ...
. It was patented in the US in 1961 (US Patent 2,972,564) and advertised for the treatment of anxiety and tension. It was claimed to be superior to
meprobamate
Meprobamate—marketed as Miltown by Wallace Laboratories and Equanil by Wyeth, among others—is a carbamate derivative used as an anxiolytic drug. It was the best-selling minor tranquilizer for a time, but has largely been replaced by the be ...
, which was the market leader at the time. It is no longer prescribed.
A study of the drug's effects in mice was done in 1959. It concluded that at 50 mg/kg emylcamate gave a 63% decrease in motor activity compared with meprobamate's 32% decrease, a doubling in effective potency. The therapeutic index in mice was also established:
Emylcamate also has a faster intra-parenteral onset than meprobamate, 3 minutes compared with 35.
References
Further reading
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External links
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Anxiolytics
Muscle relaxants
Carbamates
GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators
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