Observations Upon Roles of Ether Oxygen, Alkyl Group Size, Number of Onium Centres and Interonium Distance Upon Neuromuscular Block in Bis‐ and Polyonium Compounds

Abstract

Using the method of Van Rossum & Ariens (1959), a number of bis-, tris-and tetra-onium neuromuscular blocking agents have been classified into depolarizing, non-depolarizing and intermediate-acting compounds. This investigation confirmed the results of experiments using conventional techniques. The role of the ether oxygen link, the effects of inter-onium distance, alkyl group size and the number and nature of the onium groups were also investigated, and the reasons underlying the observed quantitative and qualitative differences discussed.