
Edrophonium Chloride Test Edrophonium and other ChEIs impede the enzymatic breakdown of ACh by inhibiting the action of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), thus allowing ACh to diffuse more widely throughout the synaptic cleft and to have a more prolonged interaction with AChR on the postsynaptic muscle membrane.
How does an edrophonium test work?
We'll explain how it works in this article! An edrophonium test, also called Tensilon® test, is a pharmacological test. It consists of injecting edrophonium bromide or edrophonium chloride, which are substances that react with the transmission of nerve impulses at the muscular level.
Why does edrophonium chloride increase acetylcholine levels in myasthenia gravis?
In myasthenia gravis the body's immune system destroys many of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, so that the muscle becomes less responsive to nervous stimulation. Edrophonium chloride increases the amount of acetylcholine at the nerve endings. Increased levels of acetylcholine allow the remaining receptors to function more efficiently.
What is ededrophonium and how does it work?
Edrophonium works by prolonging the action acetylcholine, which is found naturally in the body. It does this by inhibiting the action of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase.
What is edrophonium used to treat?
Notified of marketing changes. Edrophonium is a cholinesterase inhibitor used to diagnose and evaluate myasthenia gravis. A rapid-onset, short-acting cholinesterase inhibitor used in cardiac arrhythmias and in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

How does the Edrophonium test work?
First, a small amount of the drug Tensilon (edrophonium chloride) is injected into your arm or hand via an IV needle. Once injected, the drug usually kicks in within 30 to 45 seconds. Your doctor will then ask you to perform a series of movements over and over again to see if the drug is working.
How does edrophonium help myasthenia gravis?
Edrophonium is a rapid-acting anticholinesterase drug of short duration that improves symptoms of myasthenia gravis by inhibiting the breakdown of ACh and increasing its concentration in the neuromuscular junction.
How does edrophonium diagnose myasthenia gravis?
A Tensilon test is a diagnostic test used to evaluate myasthenia gravis, which is a neuromuscular condition characterized by muscle weakness. The test involves an injection of Tensilon (edrophonium), after which your muscle strength is evaluated to determine whether your weakness is caused by myasthenia gravis or not.
How does edrophonium bind to acetylcholinesterase?
Edrophonium. Edrophonium is the only short-acting anticholinesterase available; it is a synthetic quaternary ammonium compound. The drug competes with acetylcholine and binds by a non-covalent bond to acetylcholinesterase at the anionic site.
What is the mechanism of action of edrophonium?
Edrophonium works by prolonging the action acetylcholine, which is found naturally in the body. It does this by inhibiting the action of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Acetylcholine stimulates nicotinic and muscarinic receptors.
Why does edrophonium improve muscle function?
Edrophonium chloride is an anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChesterase) with rapid onset (within 30 s) and short duration (5 min) of action. It inhibits AChesterase and increases the concentration of acetylcholine (ACh) at the NMJ, thus improving the muscle weakness.
What test is used to diagnose myasthenia gravis?
Edrophonium test It involves having an injection of a medicine called edrophonium chloride. If you have a sudden but temporary improvement in muscle strength after the injection, it's likely you have myasthenia gravis.
What happens in myasthenia gravis?
In myasthenia gravis, your immune system produces antibodies that block or destroy many of your muscles' receptor sites for a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine (as-uh-teel-KOH-leen). With fewer receptor sites available, your muscles receive fewer nerve signals, resulting in weakness.
What is pathophysiology of myasthenia gravis?
Abstract. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) caused by antibodies that attack components of the postsynaptic membrane, impair neuromuscular transmission, and lead to weakness and fatigue of skeletal muscle.
How does acetylcholinesterase inhibitors work?
Cholinesterase inhibitor drugs, inhibiting AChE activity, maintain ACh level by decreasing its breakdown rate. Therefore, they boost cholinergic neurotransmission in forebrain regions and compensate for the loss of functioning brain cells.
What is the function of acetylcholinesterase?
[1] The primary role of AChE is to terminate neuronal transmission and signaling between synapses to prevent ACh dispersal and activation of nearby receptors. AChE is inhibited by organophosphates and is an important component of pesticides and nerve agents.
What is the difference between acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase?
The difference between the two types of cholinesterase is their relative preferences for substrates: AChE hydrolyzes acetylcholine faster while BChE hydrolyzes butyrylcholine faster.
What effect does edrophonium have on the response in the ileum in the presence of acetylcholine?
In the ileum, responses to acetylcholine were increased in the presence of DFP, edrophonium and physostigmine but were unaffected by iso-Ompa. responses to carbachol were not increased by any of the anticholinesterases.
How will edrophonium affect the level of acetylcholine at the synaptic cleft?
Edrophonium and other ChEIs impede the enzymatic breakdown of ACh by inhibiting the action of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), thus allowing ACh to diffuse more widely throughout the synaptic cleft and to have a more prolonged interaction with AChR on the postsynaptic muscle membrane.
How does acetylcholinesterase inhibitors work?
Cholinesterase inhibitor drugs, inhibiting AChE activity, maintain ACh level by decreasing its breakdown rate. Therefore, they boost cholinergic neurotransmission in forebrain regions and compensate for the loss of functioning brain cells.
What is the mechanism of action for pyridostigmine?
Mechanism of Action: Immune modulator. Pyridostigmine is a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is FDA-approved for treating myasthenia gravis and reversing the effects of muscle relaxants. It has also been used in the military as a pretreatment for exposure to the chemical nerve agent Soman.
Before Taking This Medicine
You should not receive edrophonium if you are allergic to it, or if you have: 1. a blockage in your intestines; or 2. if you are unable to urinate....
How Is Edrophonium given?
Edrophonium is injected into a muscle, or into a vein through an IV. A healthcare provider will give you this injection.When used in testing for my...
What Happens If I Miss A Dose?
Since edrophonium is given by a healthcare professional, it is not likely that you will miss a dose.
What Happens If I Overdose?
Since this medicine is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.
What Other Drugs Will Affect Edrophonium?
Other drugs may interact with edrophonium, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your...
What is edrophonium chloride?
Edrophonium chloride (Tensilon) is a rapidly acting anticholinesterase that temporarily reverses weakness in patients with myasthenia. Ptosis and oculomotor paresis are the only functions that are reliably tested. Rare patients are supersensitive to edrophonium chloride and may stop breathing because of depolarization of endplates or an abnormal vagal response. Equipment for mechanical ventilation should always be available when performing the test. In newborns, a subcutaneous injection of 0.15 mg/kg produces a response within 10 minutes. In infants, administer the drug intravenously at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg; weakness is reversed within 1 minute.
How to administer edrophonium?
Edrophonium (Tensilon), an AChE inhibitor, administered intravenously to a suspected MG patient may transiently improve certain symptoms, providing supportive evidence for the diagnosis. For an appropriate examination, a markedly affected, easily testable and/or observable muscle should be selected (frequently the deltoid or an upper extremity extensor). Two 1-ml tuberculin syringes should be prepared: one as a placebo injection (1 ml normal saline) and one as an injection of 10 mg of edrophonium in 1 ml of solution. The placebo is usually administered first, with observation for improvement for a few minutes. The edrophonium is administered next with an initial dose of 2 mg, with observation and/or strength testing for 1 min. If no improvement is noted, the remaining 8 mg is given and the process is repeated. If no effect is noted following the second dose, the test is negative. Any symptomatic improvement in responsive patients is short lived, lasting no longer than 30 min. Ideally, the patient should not take any AChE inhibitor for at least 24 h before the test. Several cholinergic side effects may appear following intravenous edrophonium, including asystole, bradycardia, syncope nausea, and excessive lacrimation and salivation, and the examiner must be aware of these risks, which in certain patients are relative contraindications for this test. Reported sensitivities and specificities for this test are 90–95% and 80–95%, respectively, in generalized and 80–95% and 80–90% in ocular MG, but these data depend greatly on a carefully performed and judiciously interpreted examination and are subject to significant error in the hands of a careless examiner.
Is edrophonium safe for pregnant women?
Edrophonium is a short- and rapid-acting cholinergic drug. There are no adequate reports or well-controlled studies of edrophonium in pregnant women. Older literature suggests anticholinesterases may trigger preterm labor.
What is edrophonium chloride?
Edrophonium chloride (Tensilon) is a rapidly acting anticholinesterase that temporarily reverses weakness in patients with myasthenia. Ptosis and oculomotor paresis are the only functions that are reliably tested. Rare patients are supersensitive to edrophonium chloride and may stop breathing because of depolarization of endplates or an abnormal vagal response. Equipment for mechanical ventilation should always be available when performing the test. In newborns, a subcutaneous injection of 0.15 mg/kg produces a response within 10 minutes. In infants, administer the drug intravenously at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg; weakness is reversed within 1 minute.
How to administer edrophonium?
Edrophonium (Tensilon), an AChE inhibitor, administered intravenously to a suspected MG patient may transiently improve certain symptoms, providing supportive evidence for the diagnosis. For an appropriate examination, a markedly affected, easily testable and/or observable muscle should be selected (frequently the deltoid or an upper extremity extensor). Two 1-ml tuberculin syringes should be prepared: one as a placebo injection (1 ml normal saline) and one as an injection of 10 mg of edrophonium in 1 ml of solution. The placebo is usually administered first, with observation for improvement for a few minutes. The edrophonium is administered next with an initial dose of 2 mg, with observation and/or strength testing for 1 min. If no improvement is noted, the remaining 8 mg is given and the process is repeated. If no effect is noted following the second dose, the test is negative. Any symptomatic improvement in responsive patients is short lived, lasting no longer than 30 min. Ideally, the patient should not take any AChE inhibitor for at least 24 h before the test. Several cholinergic side effects may appear following intravenous edrophonium, including asystole, bradycardia, syncope nausea, and excessive lacrimation and salivation, and the examiner must be aware of these risks, which in certain patients are relative contraindications for this test. Reported sensitivities and specificities for this test are 90–95% and 80–95%, respectively, in generalized and 80–95% and 80–90% in ocular MG, but these data depend greatly on a carefully performed and judiciously interpreted examination and are subject to significant error in the hands of a careless examiner.
What is demecarium used for?
It is used to constrict pupils, elevate intraocular pressure in treating glaucoma, and also for alleviating atropine mydriasis. Synonyms of this drug are tosmilen and humorosl.
How long does it take for neostigmine to work?
After intravenous administration neostigmine actions can be observed as soon as 2 min after infusion and, with a bolus dose, last for ∼30 min.
Is edrophonium the same as neostigmine?
Pharmacologically, edrophonium is also similar to neostig mine; however, it begins to act quicker and is shorter lasting. A synonym of this drug is tensilon.
Can edrophonium chloride cause respiratory arrest?
Some patients with myasthenia are supersensitive to edrophonium chloride. Fasciculations and respiratory arrest may develop following administration. For this reason, first inject a test dose of one-tenth the full dose. Unfortunately, respiratory embarrassment sometimes develops in response to the test dose, and a hand ventilator should be readily available before any drug is given. Atropine is an effective antidote to the muscarinic side effects of edrophonium chloride but does not counteract the nicotinic effects on the motor endplate that result in paralysis of the skeletal muscles.
How does edrophonium chloride work?
Mechanism of action. Edrophonium works by prolonging the action acetylcholine, which is found naturally in the body.
What is edrophonium used for?
Edrophonium. Edrophonium is a cholinesterase inhibitor used to diagnose and evaluate myasthenia gravis. A rapid-onset, short-acting cholinesterase inhibitor used in cardiac arrhythmias and in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. It has also been used as an antidote to curare principles.
How long does edrophonium last?
Edrophonium is a short and rapid-acting anticholinesterase drug. Its effect is manifest within 30 to 60 seconds after injection and lasts an average of 10 minutes. Edrophonium's pharmacologic action is due primarily to the inhibition or inactivation of acetylcholinesterase at sites of cholinergic transmission.
Which drug may increase the excretion rate of Edrophonium?
Trichlormethiazide may increase the excretion rate of Edrophonium which could result in a lower serum level and potentially a reduction in efficacy. Triethylenetetramine. Edrophonium may decrease the excretion rate of Triethylenetetramine which could result in a higher serum level. Triflupromazine.
Does Edrophonium lower the excretion rate of Vortioxetine?
Edrophonium may decrease the excretion rate of Vortioxetine which could result in a higher serum level. Edrophonium may decrease the excretion rate of Warfarin which could result in a higher serum level. Zaleplon may decrease the excretion rate of Edrophonium which could result in a higher serum level.
Does edrophonium lower vaborbactam?
Edrophonium may decrease the excretion rate of Vaborbactam which could result in a higher serum level. Valaciclovir may decrease the excretion rate of Edrophonium which could result in a higher serum level. Edrophonium may decrease the excretion rate of Valbenazine which could result in a higher serum level.
Does edrophonium increase serum levels?
Antihemophilic factor (recombinant), PEGylated. Edrophonium may decrease the excretion rate of Antihemophilic factor (recombinant), PEGylated which could result in a higher serum level. Antipyrine. Antipyrine may decrease the excretion rate of Edrophonium which could result in a higher serum level.
How is the edrophonium test performed?
First, a specialist places an intravenous needle into the patient’s arm or hand.
What is the edrophonium test?
The edrophonium test, in addition to being called the Tensilon® test, is also called the Anticude® test. These names vary because they refer to the brand name of the drug.
What is the purpose of edrophonium test for myasthenia gravis?
When a patient with myasthenia gravis undergoes the edrophonium test, the muscles are more powerful. In addition, this test also makes it possible to evaluate which is the most suitable treatment in terms of dosage.
Why do doctors order edrophonium?
Doctors usually order the edrophonium test when there’s suspicion that the patient has myasthenia gravis. They also use it to control the dose of anticholinesterase drugs when a diagnosis of the disease has already taken place and the patients taking these drugs as treatment.
What happens when your immune system blocks acetylcholine receptors?
As a result, the muscle receives less stimulation. Therefore, there’s weakness and rapid muscle fatigue.
Does edrophonium cause muscle stimulation?
The edrophonium test causes no breakdown of acetylcholine. An enzyme called acetylcholinesterase is responsible for this breakdown. As it’s not broken down, there is more concentration. Therefore, muscle stimulation is greater.

Identification
- Summary
1. Edrophoniumis a cholinesterase inhibitor used to diagnose and evaluate myasthenia gravis. - Brand Names
1. Enlon, Enlon-plus
Pharmacology
- Indication
1. For the differential diagnosis of myasthenia gravis and as an adjunct in the evaluation of treatment requirements in this disease. It may also be used for evaluating emergency treatment in myasthenic crises.Reduce drug development failure ratesBuild, train, & validate machine-learnin…
Interactions
- Drug Interactions information
1. This information should not be interpreted without the help of a healthcare provider. If you believe you are experiencing an interaction, contact a healthcare provider immediately. The absence of an interaction does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. - Food Interactions
1. No interactions found.
Categories
- ATC Codes
1. V04CX07 — Edrophonium
Chemical Identifiers
- UNII
1. 70FP3JLY7N - CAS number
1. 312-48-1
References
- Synthesis Reference
1. Terrell, R.C.; U.S. Patents 3,469,011; September 23, 1969 and 3,527,813; September 8,1970; both assigned to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated. - General References
1. Not Available
Properties
- State
1. Liquid
Spectra
- Mass Spec (NIST)
1. Not Available