Medetomidine

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Medetomidine

Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	Monograph
ATCvet code	QN05CM91 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	Veterinary use only
Identifiers
IUPAC name (RS)-4-[1-(2,3-Dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-3H-imidazole
JSmol)	Interactive image
Chirality	Racemic mixture
SMILES n1cc([nH]c1)C(c2c(c(ccc2)C)C)C
InChI InChI=1S/C13H16N2/c1-9-5-4-6-12(10(9)2)11(3)13-7-14-8-15-13/h4-8,11H,1-3H3,(H,14,15) Y Key:CUHVIMMYOGQXCV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
NY (what is this?)  (verify)

Medetomidine is a synthetic drug used as both a surgical anesthetic and analgesic. It is often used as the hydrochloride salt, medetomidine hydrochloride, a crystalline white solid. It is an α2 adrenergic agonist^[1] that can be administered as an intravenous drug solution with sterile water.

It was developed by

Veterinary use

In

sublingual

route is also effective. It is not recommended for diabetics, it is contraindicated in patients with cardiac disease. Due to its potent sedative effects it is commonly used in more aggressive animals, where a drug combination with a lesser effect (such as acepromazine plus an opioid, or an opioid plus a benzodiazepine) would not allow the administration of the inductive agent without risk to the veterinarian. As such the use of alpha-two agonists is only recommended in healthy animals.

Following administration, marked peripheral vasoconstriction and bradycardia are noted. Often the dosage of induction agents (e.g. propofol) may be drastically reduced, as may the volumes of anesthetic gases (i.e. halothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane) used to maintain general anesthesia.

It is sometimes used in combination with butorphanol and ketamine (given IM) to produce general anaesthesia for short periods in healthy but fractious felines that will not allow an intravenous induction agent to be given. It provides a good degree of muscle relaxation, an important factor in ketamine based anesthesia protocols.

Medetomidine has also been used in combination with morphine (or methadone), lidocaine and ketamine in constant rate infusion analgesia in canines. It is often used in so called microdoses for this analgesic effect.

It is thought that this family of drugs has a degree of analgesic action, though this is, in comparison to the sedative effect, minor.

Its effects can be reversed using atipamezole (distributed as Antisedan by Pfizer). IV use of atipamezole is not licensed, IM is the preferred route. Yohimbine may also be used in an emergency situation, but is not licensed.

Use in marine paint

Medetomidine can be used as an

which makes becoming sessile nearly impossible. When the larva swims away from the surface, the effect disappears (reversible effect). The larva regains its pre-exposure function and can settle somewhere else.

References

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Further reading

• "Domitor". Novartis Animal Health Canada. 2003. Archived from the original on 2007-09-24.
• Harari J (1996). Small Animal Surgery. Williams and Wilkins.
  ISBN 978-0-683-03910-8
  .
• Lind U, Alm Rosenblad M, Hasselberg Frank L, Falkbring S, Brive L, Laurila JM, et al. (August 2010). "Octopamine receptors from the barnacle balanus improvisus are activated by the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist medetomidine". Molecular Pharmacology. 78 (2): 237–48.
  S2CID 17792301
  .
• Dahlström M, Mårtensson LG, Jonsson PR, Arnebrant T, Elwing H (November 2000). "Surface active adrenoceptor compounds prevent the settlement of cyprid larvae of Balanus improvisus". Biofouling. 16 (2–4): 191–203.
  S2CID 85603381
  .