Neurol. praxi. 2017;18(1):11-14 | DOI: 10.36290/neu.2017.057

Effects of drugs on neuromuscular junction

MUDr. Stanislav Voháňka, CSc., MBA
Neurologická klinika Lékařské fakulty Masarykovy univerzity a Fakultní nemocnice Brno

Neuromuscular transmission may be negatively influenced by many drugs and agents. Some of them are targeted to this purpose

– most important are the following: depolarizing and non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (used to produce muscular

paralysis in anesthetized patients), botulinum toxin (effectively weakening appropriate muscles for treatment of spasticity and

dystonic syndromes) and cholinesterase inhibitors (used to reduce clinical symptoms in myasthenia gravis). Furthermore, several

drugs may negatively influence the neuromuscular transmission as an undesirable side effect, particularly in case of pre-existed

impaired function of neuromuscular junction (mainly in patients with myasthenia gravis). Among others, D-penicillamine, interferon

alfa, magnesium, some antibiotics, quinidine, procainamide, statins, and calcium channel blockers may present with such

an influence. Furthermore, transient worsening of myasthenia gravis may be evoked by corticosteroids.

Keywords: neuromuscular junction, myasthenia gravis, neuromuscular blocking agents, botulinum toxin, cholinesterase inhibitors

Published: March 1, 2017  Show citation

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Voháňka S. Effects of drugs on neuromuscular junction. Neurol. praxi. 2017;18(1):11-14. doi: 10.36290/neu.2017.057.
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