Alfentanil

drugbox

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IUPAC_name = "N"- [1- [2-(4-ethyl-5-oxo-1,4-dihydrotetrazol-1-yl)ethyl] -
4-(methoxymethyl)-4-piperidyl] -"N"-phenyl-propanamide
CAS_number = 71195-58-9
ATC_prefix = N01
ATC_suffix = AH02
PubChem = 51263
smiles = CCC(=O)N(c1ccccc1)C3(COC)CCN(CCn2nnn(CC)c2=O)CC3
DrugBank = APRD00726
C = 21 | H = 32 | N = 6 | O = 3
molecular_weight = 416.517 g/mol
melting_point = 140.8
bioavailability = 100%
protein_bound = 92%
metabolism = Hepatic
elimination_half-life = 90–111 minutes
legal_US = Schedule II
legal_UK = Class A
routes_of_administration = Intravenous

Alfentanil (trade name Alfenta) is a potent but short-acting synthetic opioid analgesic drug, used for anaesthesia in surgery. It is an analogue of fentanyl with around 1/4 the potency of fentanyl and around 1/3 of the duration of action, but with an onset of effects 4x faster than fentanyl. [ [http://www.google.com/patents?id=msJ_AAAAEBAJ&dq=7208604 Jacob Mathew, J. Kendall Killgore. Methods for the synthesis of alfentanil, sufentanil, and remifentanil. US Patent 7,208,604] ] It is an OP3 mu-agonist.

While alfentanil tends to cause less cardiovascular complications than other similar drugs such as fentanyl and remifentanil it tends to give stronger respiratory depression and so requires careful monitoring of breathing and vital signs. Alfentanil is administered by the parenteral (injected) route for fast onset of effects and precise control of dosage.

Alfentanil is a restricted drug which is classified as Schedule II in the USA, according to the U.S. DEA website. [http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/listby_sched/sched2.htm From DEA website, accessed 23 Jan 2007] ]

Alfentanil was discovered at Janssen Pharmaceutica in 1976.

References

External links

* [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601130.html some more info]