Side effects may include sleepiness, vision changes, dry mouth, rapid heart rate, triggering of
glaucoma, and
severe allergies.[7] Sleepiness is uncommon.[10] It is unclear if it is safe in
pregnancy.[5] It appears safe in breastfeeding.[11] Greater care is recommended in those with heart problems.[12] It is an
anticholinergic agent,[5] which does not have much effect on the
brain.[13]
It is available in the United States only for the medical treatment of horses.[2]
Medical uses
Hyoscine butylbromide is effective in treating crampy
abdominal pain.[20]
Hyoscine butylbromide is effective in reducing the duration of the first stage of labour, and it is not associated with any obvious adverse outcomes in mother or neonate.[21]
It is also used during
abdominal, pelvic
MRI,
virtual colonoscopy, and double barium contrasted studies to improve the quality of pictures.[22] Hyoscine butylbromide can reduce the peristaltic movement of the intestines and mucosal foldings, thus reducing the movement artifact of the images.[23]
Side effects
Since little of the medication crosses the
blood-brain barrier, this drug has less effect on the
brain and therefore causes a reduced occurrence of the centrally-mediated effects (such as
delusions,
somnolence and inhibition of motor functions) which reduce the usefulness of some other anticholinergic drugs.[13]
Other side effects include
accommodation reflex disturbances,
tachycardia, dry mouth, nausea; urinary retention, reduced blood pressure;
dyshidrosis;[23] Other symptoms are dizziness, flushing and immune system disorders (anaphylactic shock, potentially fatal); anaphylactic reactions; dyspnoea; skin reactions and other hypersensitivity reactions. Cautions should be taken for those with untreated glaucoma, heart failure, benign prostatic hypertrophy with urinary retention as hyoscine may exacerbate these conditions.[23]
Pharmacology
Hyoscine butylbromide reduces smooth muscle contraction and the production of respiratory secretions. These are normally stimulated by the
parasympathetic nervous system, via the
neurotransmitteracetylcholine. As an
antimuscarinic, hyoscine butylbromide binds to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, blocking their effect.[25]
Hyoscine butylbromide is not centrally active and has a low incidence of abuse.[13] In 2015, it was reported that prisoners at
Wandsworth Prison and other UK prisons were smoking prescribed hyoscine butylbromide, releasing the potent
hallucinogenscopolamine.[26][27] There have also been reports of abuse in
Mashhad Central Prison in
Iran.[28]
^Tytgat GN (2007). "Hyoscine butylbromide: a review of its use in the treatment of abdominal cramping and pain". Drugs. 67 (9). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 1343–1357.
doi:
10.2165/00003495-200767090-00007.
PMID17547475.
S2CID46971321.
^
abcd"Buscopan Tablets and Ampoules". Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia. 8 November 2010.
Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
^World Health Organization (2021). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 22nd list (2021). Geneva: World Health Organization.
hdl:10665/345533. WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2021.02.
^Prommer EE, Thompson L, Casciato DA (2012).
"Supportive Care". In Casciato DA, Territo MC (eds.). Manual of Clinical Oncology (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health. p. 146.
ISBN9781451115604.
Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.
^Samuels LA, Christie L, Roberts-Gittens B, Fletcher H, Frederick J (December 2007). "The effect of hyoscine butylbromide on the first stage of labour in term pregnancies". BJOG. 114 (12): 1542–6.
doi:
10.1111/j.1471-0528.2007.01497.x.
PMID17903230.
S2CID71523418.
^
abcTytgat GN (November 2008). "Hyoscine butylbromide - a review on its parenteral use in acute abdominal spasm and as an aid in abdominal diagnostic and therapeutic procedures". Current Medical Research and Opinion. 24 (11): 3159–3173.
doi:
10.1185/03007990802472700.
PMID18851775.
S2CID73316713.