Skip to main content
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1981 Apr;44(4):334–339. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.4.334

The effect of dantrolene sodium in relation to blood levels in spastic patients after prolonged administration.

W J Meyler, H Bakker, J J Kok, S Agoston, H Wesseling
PMCID: PMC490957  PMID: 7241161

Abstract

In 25 patients with spasticity, pharmacokinetics and effects of dantrolene sodium were investigated after prolonged administration. A beneficial effect occurred in seven patients. The results were better on 100 mg daily than on a higher daily dose. An increase of the daily dose from 200 to 400 mg was not associated with higher blood levels. Many side effects were noted such as: anorexia, nausea, drowsiness, depression and muscle weakness. From this study we conclude that dantrolene sodium is a muscle relaxant with a weak to moderate effect in patients with spasticity; the effect at doses higher than 200 mg daily is probably poor.

Full text

PDF
337

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ASHWORTH B. PRELIMINARY TRIAL OF CARISOPRODOL IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. Practitioner. 1964 Apr;192:540–542. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chipman M., Kaul S., Lambie M. Efficacy of dantrolene sodium in the treatment of spasticity. Dis Nerv Syst. 1974 Sep;35(9):427–431. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chyatte S. B., Basmajian J. V. Dantrolene sodium: long-term effects in severe spasticity. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1973 Jul;54(7):311–315. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chyatte S. B., Birdsong J. H., Roberson D. L. Dantrolene sodium in athetoid cerebral palsy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1973 Aug;54(8):365–368. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cohen L. M., Mittal K. K., Schmid F. R., Rogers L. F., Cohen K. L. Increased risk for spondylitis stigmata in apparently healthy HL-AW27 men. Ann Intern Med. 1976 Jan;84(1):1–7. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-84-1-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hollifield R. D., Conklin J. D. Determination of dantrolene in biological specimens containing drug-related metabolites. J Pharm Sci. 1973 Feb;62(2):271–274. doi: 10.1002/jps.2600620219. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jonsson B., Ladd H., Afzelius-Frisk I., Lindberg-Broman A. M. The effect of dantrium on spasticity of hemiplegic patients. Acta Neurol Scand. 1975 May;51(5):385–392. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Joynt R. L. Dantrolene sodium: long-term effects in patients with muscle spasticity. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1976 May;57(5):212–217. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. King P. S., Lewis F. R., Weddle J. L., Fowlks E. W. Effect of radical neck dissection on total rehabilitation of the laryngectomee. Am J Phys Med. 1973 Feb;52(1):1–17. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Knutsson E., Martensson A. Action of dantrolene sodium in spasticity with low dependence on fusimotor drive. J Neurol Sci. 1976 Oct;29(2-4):195–212. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(76)90171-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lietman P. S., Haslam R. H., Walcher J. R. Pharmacology of dantrolene sodium in children. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1974 Aug;55(8):388–392. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Meyler W. J., Mols-Thürkow H. W., Wesseling H. Relationship between plasma concentration and effect of dantrolene sodium in man. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1979 Sep;16(3):203–209. doi: 10.1007/BF00562062. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Monster A. W. Spasticity and the effect of dantrolene sodium. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1974 Aug;55(8):373–383. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Schneider R., Mitchell D. Dantrolene hepatitis. JAMA. 1976 Apr 12;235(15):1590–1591. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Utili R., Boitnott J. K., Zimmerman H. J. Dantrolene-associated hepatic injury. Incidence and character. Gastroenterology. 1977 Apr;72(4 Pt 1):610–616. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES