PAVULON (pancuronium bromide) injection NOT FOR USE IN NEONATES CONTAINS BENZYL ALCOHOL THIS DRUG SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY ADEQUATELY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS FAMILIAR WITH ITS

blocking agent chemically designated as the aminosteroid 2 ß, 16 ß dipiperidino-5α-androstane­ 3α, 17-ß diol diacetate dimethobromide. The structural formula is: PAVULON is supplied as a sterile, isotonic, nonpyrogenic solution for injection. Each mL contains 1 mg or 2 mg pancuronium bromide, 2 mg sodium acetate and 1% benzyl alcohol as preservative. The solution is adjusted to isotonicity with sodium chloride and to a pH of 4 with acetic acid and/or sodium hydroxide; water is used as the solvent. CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY: PAVULON is a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent possessing all of the characteristic pharmacological actions of this class of drugs (curariform). It acts by competing for cholinergic receptors at the motor end-plate. The antagonism to acetylcholine is inhibited and neuromuscular block is reversed by anticholinesterase agents such as pyridostigmine, neostigmine, and edrophonium. PAVULON is approximately 1/3 less potent than vecuronium and approximately 5 times as potent as d-tubocurarine; the duration of neuromuscular blockade produced by PAVULON is longer than that of vecuronium at initially equipotent doses. The ED95 (dose required to produce 95% suppression of muscle twitch response) is approximately