Editor—The use of dantrolene in the management of hyperthermia for acute ‘Ecstasy’ (3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine, MDMA) toxicity has been recently reviewed by Hall and Hendry. We would like to confirm the efficacy of dantrolene after a recent case that presented to our emergency department. A 21-yr-old male presented after collapse with, GCS 4/15, generalized rigidity, tachycardia (160 min)...

A patient developed pulmonary infiltration, pleural effusions and pericarditis three months after starting dantrolene sodium. Peripheral blood eosinophilia and a raised ESR were present. Symptoms and signs resolved after the drug was discontinued. Dantrolene toxicity should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pneumonitis and pleuro-pericarditis.

sodium salt of 1-[5-(4-nitrophenyl)furfulidene amino]imidazolidene-2,4-dione. It is a muscle relaxant reported to act by blocking muscle concentration beyond the neuromuscular junction. It is described for the symptomatic relief of muscular spasm due to condition such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and cerebral palsy. Dantrolene sodium is used also intravenously in the treatm...

The effects of the muscle relaxant dantrolene on steps of excitation-contraction coupling were studied on fast twitch muscles of rodents. To identify the site of action of the drug, single fibers for voltage-clamp measurements, heavy SR vesicles for calcium efflux studies and solubilized SR calcium release channels/RYRs for lipid bilayer studies were isolated. Using the double Vaseline-gap or t...

The mechanism of degradation of dantrolene in aqueous buffer solutions was studied at various pH values in the range of pH 1.2 9.5 and at temperatures ranging from 25 ̊C to 75 ̊C to determine the optimum pH and temperature requirements for its stability and eventual product performance over the human gastrointestinal pH range. Dantrolene was analyzed by reversed phase ultra-performance liquid chr...

BACKGROUND The authors hypothesized that intramuscular sevoflurane injection allows diagnostic differentiation between malignant hyperthermia-susceptible (MHS) and -nonsusceptible (MHN) pigs by measurement of intramuscular lactate and carbon dioxide partial pressure (PCO2), and that dantrolene reduces the sevoflurane-induced PCO2 increase. METHODS With approval of the local animal care commit...

Treatment of MH was studied in 21 pigs, using an isolated perfused caudal body preparation (L1 transection). Halothane one per cent triggered MH; data included oxygen consumption, blood/muscle lactate levels, plasma potassium, acid-base balance. Three treatment protocols had two phases each: A-1, discontinue halothane, inject dantrolene 7.5 mg X kg-1; A-2, inject HCO3- (113 +/- 6 mEq). B-1, Dis...

INTRODUCTION Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare, but sometimes fatal, adverse reaction to neuroleptics characterized principally by fever and rigor. The aim of this study was to prove the efficacy of different NMS treatment strategies, focusing on the efficacy of dantrolene. METHODS Altogether, 271 case reports were included. These cases were categorized into four treatment groups...