Nicotinyl alcohol (pyridylcarbinol) is a

niacin Nicotinic acid, or niacin, is an organic compound and a vitamer of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It is produced by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Nicotinic acid is also a prescription medication. Amounts f ...

derivative used as a

hypolipidemic agent Lipid-lowering agents, also sometimes referred to as hypolipidemic agents, cholesterol-lowering drugs, or antihyperlipidemic agents are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals that are used to lower the level of lipids and lipoproteins, such as choleste ...

and as a

vasodilator Vasodilation, also known as vasorelaxation, is the widening of blood vessels. It results from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, in particular in the large veins, large arteries, and smaller arterioles. Blood vessel wal ...

. It causes flushing and may decrease blood pressure. It appears as a crystal that dissolves in water and alcohol with ease, also soluble in ether; melting range 147–148 °C.

Nicotinic acid Nicotinic acid, or niacin, is an organic compound and a vitamer of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It is produced by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Nicotinic acid is also a prescription medication. Amounts f ...

is a brief peripheral vasodilator; this compound was made to make its action longer and effective. It provokes cutaneous flushing in head and upper thorax with heat, but with no major effects in blood pressure. It is used in peripheral vascular diseases, like arteriosclerosis obliterans,

Raynaud's disease Raynaud syndrome, also known as Raynaud's phenomenon, is a medical condition in which the spasm of small arteries causes episodes of reduced blood flow to end arterioles. Typically the fingers, and, less commonly, the toes, are involved. Rare ...

, thromboangiitis obliterans (

Buerger's disease Thromboangiitis obliterans, also known as Buerger disease (English ; ) or Winiwarter-Buerger disease, is a recurring progressive inflammation and thrombosis (clotting) of small and medium arteries and veins of the hands and feet. It is strongly ...

), arterial embolism,

chilblains Chilblains, also known as pernio, is a medical condition in which damage occurs to capillary beds in the skin, most often in the hands or feet, when blood perfuses into the nearby tissue, resulting in redness, itching, inflammation, and possibly ...

or migraine associated with vascular spasm. Fischer and Tebrock worked with this drug in more than two hundred patients for more than three years, achieving effective improvements, mainly in symptoms related to

intermittent claudication Intermittent claudication, also known as vascular claudication, is a symptom that describes muscle pain on mild exertion (ache, cramp, numbness or sense of fatigue), classically in the calf muscle, which occurs during exercise, such as walking, ...

, ulcer healing and others.

Derivatives

At least a couple of uses for this agent were discovered over the years: # Eniclobrate # Mepiroxol # Nicofibrate # Pantenicate (Topanicate, MG 28362)

References

{{Peripheral vasodilators 3-Pyridyl compounds Hydroxymethyl compounds Hypolipidemic agents Vasodilators