Drug reference
Gantacurium
Neuromuscular Blocker · Muscle Relaxant
Neuromuscular BlockerMuscle Relaxant
CDSCO approvedSchedule H
EXCRETION
—
not curated
INTERACTIONS
—
none in our sources
PREGNANCY
—
not curated
Mechanism
Gantacurium is a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocker that competitively blocks the binding of acetylcholine (ACh) to nicotinic ACh receptors at the motor end plate. This action progressively diminishes the amplitude of the excitatory postjunctional end-plate potential, preventing the initiation of a propagated muscle action potential and resulting in skeletal muscle paralysis.
Dosing
- Adult
- doses above three times the ED95, cardiovascular adverse effects (eg, hypotension) have occurred, probably due to histamine release. No bronchospasm or pulmonary vasoconstriction has been reported at these higher doses. B.…
Pharmacokinetics
Onset
Rapid
Duration
Very short (similar to succinylcholine)
Metabolism
Degraded nonenzymatically by adduction of the amino acid cysteine and ester bond hydrolysis
Excretion
Cysteine adduction, ester hydrolysis (adduction process has a t1/2 of 1–2 min)
Side effects
Common
Hypotension (at doses above three times the ED95, probably due to histamine release)
Serious
- Transient adverse cardiovascular effects suggestive of histamine release (at doses over three times the ED95)
Related guidelines
Other Neuromuscular Blocker drugs
Ask House about Gantacurium
Continue into a citation-backed clinical answer with the drug context already attached.
Sources: Goodman & Gilman 14e, Katzung·Verified: 2026-05-13 · House clinical team