Methoxamine, sold under the brand names Vasoxine, Vasoxyl, and Vasylox among others, is a sympathomimetic medication used as an antihypotensive agent. It has mostly or entirely been discontinued. The drug is an α1-adrenergic receptor agonist.

Medical uses

The long duration of action of methoxamine has been said to have rendered it obsolete in modern clinical practice.

Pharmacology

Methoxamine is an α1-adrenergic receptor agonist. It is described as a long-acting α1-adrenergic receptor agonist and this is contrasted with phenylephrine which is said to be short-acting. Phenylephrine is 5 to 10times more potent than methoxamine and has a 3-fold higher maximal effect.

Chemistry

Methoxamine, also known as 2,6-dimethoxy-β-hydroxy-α-methylphenethylamine or as 2,6-dimethoxy-β-hydroxyamphetamine, is a substituted phenethylamine and amphetamine derivative. It is somewhat similar in chemical structure to those of desglymidodrine (3,6-dimethoxy-β-hydroxyphenethylamine), dimetofrine (3,5-dimethoxy-4,β-dihydroxy-N-methylphenethylamine), 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine (2,5-DMA), and butaxamine ((1S,2S)-3,6-dimethoxy-β-hydroxy-N-tert-butylamphetamine).

History

Methoxamine was synthesized by 1944. It was marketed in the United States by 1949.

Society and culture

Names

Methoxamine is the generic name of the drug and its INN and BAN, while méthoxamine is its DCF and methoxamina is its DCIT. In the case of the hydrochloride salt, its generic name is methoxamine hydrochloride and this is its USAN, BANM, and JAN. A synonym of methoxamine is methoxamedrine. The drug has been sold under brand names including Idasal, Mexan, Pressomin, Vasosterol, Vasoxine, Vasoxyl, and Vasylox.

Availability

Methoxamine has been marketed in Canada, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States and was available in these countries in 2000. However, it was discontinued in Canada and the United Kingdom by 2004. It has also been discontinued in the United States. By 2016, methoxamine appeared to remain available only in Japan.