Alfentanil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alfentanil
Systematic (IUPAC) name
N-[1-[2-(4-ethyl-5-oxo-1,4-dihydrotetrazol-1-yl)ethyl]-
4-(methoxymethyl)-4-piperidyl]-N-phenyl-propanamide
Identifiers
CAS number 71195-58-9
ATC code N01AH02
PubChem 51263
DrugBank APRD00726
Chemical data
Formula C21H32N6O3 
Mol. mass 416.517 g/mol
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Physical data
Melt. point 140.8 °C (285 °F)
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability Not applicable
Protein binding 92%
Metabolism Hepatic
Half life 90–111 minutes
Excretion  ?
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.

?

Legal status

Class A(UK) Schedule II(US)

Routes 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 10-20% the potency of fentanyl. 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.[1]

Alfentanil was discovered at Janssen Pharmaceutica in 1976.

[edit] References

[edit] External links