Mephenesin

Mephenesin (INN), also called myanesin,^[1][2] is a centrally acting muscle relaxant. It can be used as an antidote for strychnine poisoning. Mephenesin however presents with the major drawbacks of having a short duration of action and a much greater effect on the spinal cord than the brain, resulting in pronounced respiratory depression at clinical doses and therefore a very low therapeutic index. It is especially dangerous and potentially fatal in combination with alcohol and other depressants.^[3] Mephenesin was the inspiration for the synthesis of a derivative of 1,3-propanediol, meprobamate, by Bernard Ludwig and Frank Berger,^[4]. Mephenesin is no longer available in North America but is used in Italy and a few other countries.^[5] Its use has largely been replaced by the related drug methocarbamol, which is better absorbed.^[6]

AHFS/Drugs.comInternational Drug Names

ATC code

• M03BX06 (WHO)

CAS Number

• 59-47-2 ^N

PubChem CID

• 4059

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Mephenesin

Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	International Drug Names
ATC code	M03BX06 (WHO)
Identifiers
IUPAC name 3-(2-methylphenoxy)propane-1,2-diol
CAS Number	59-47-2 N
PubChem CID	4059
ChemSpider	3919 Y
UNII	7B8PIR2954
KEGG	D02595 Y
ChEMBL	ChEMBL229128 Y
NIAID ChemDB	017830
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID4023254
ECHA InfoCard	100.000.389
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C10H14O3
Molar mass	182.219 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES O(c1ccccc1C)CC(O)CO
InChI InChI=1S/C10H14O3/c1-8-4-2-3-5-10(8)13-7-9(12)6-11/h2-5,9,11-12H,6-7H2,1H3 Y Key:JWDYCNIAQWPBHD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
NY (what is this?)  (verify)

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Mephenesin may be an NMDA receptor antagonist.^[7] Mephenesin was previously used in France as an OTC muscle relaxant called Décontractyl but was taken out of production by Sanofi Aventis and due to a French Health Ministry decree in July 2019.