Pancuronium (trademarked as Pavulon) is an aminosteroid muscle relaxant with various medical uses. Pancuronium is a typical non-depolarizing curare-mimetic muscle relaxant. It competitively inhibits the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction by blocking the binding of acetylcholine. It has slight vagolytic activity, causing an increase in heart rate, but no ganglioplegic (i.e., blocking ganglions) activity. It is a very potent muscle relaxant drug, with an ED95 of only 60 µg/kg body weight. The onset of action is relatively slow compared to other similar drugs, in part due to its low dose - an intubating dose takes 3–6 minutes for full effect. Clinical effects (muscle activity lower than 25% of physiological) last for about 100 minutes. The time needed for full (over 90% muscle activity) recovery after single administration is about 120–180 minutes in healthy adults. Pancuronium is used with general anesthesia in surgery for muscle relaxation and as an aid to intubation or ventilation. It does not have sedative or analgesic effects. Side-effects include moderately raised heart rate and thereby arterial pressure and cardiac output, excessive salivation, apnea and respiratory depression, rashes, flushing, and sweating. The muscular relaxation can be dangerous for the seriously ill and it can accumulate leading to extended weakness. Pancuronium is not preferable to long-term use in ICU-ventilated patients. Pancuronium is also used as one component of a lethal injection in the administration of the death penalty in some parts of the United States.

Dacuronium is an aminosteroid, acting as a competitive antagonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In animals, dacuronium worked as a short-acting muscle relaxant with a rapid onset of action. In a clinical trial, dacuronium was markedly less potent than tubocurarine and did not show a rapid recovery from its action.

Vecuronium is a neuromuscular blocking agent. Vecuronium operates by competing for the cholinoceptors at the motor end plate thereby exerting its muscle-relaxing properties which are used adjunctively to general anesthesia. Vecuronium is a bisquaternary nitrogen compound that acts by competitively binding to nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The binding of vecuronium decreases the opportunity for acetylcholine to bind to the nicotinic receptor at the postjunctional membrane of the myoneural junction. As a result, depolarization is prevented, calcium ions are not released and muscle contraction does not occur. Vecuronium is indicated as an adjunct to general anesthesia, to facilitate endotracheal intubation and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation.

Pancuronium (trademarked as Pavulon) is an aminosteroid muscle relaxant with various medical uses. Pancuronium is a typical non-depolarizing curare-mimetic muscle relaxant. It competitively inhibits the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction by blocking the binding of acetylcholine. It has slight vagolytic activity, causing an increase in heart rate, but no ganglioplegic (i.e., blocking ganglions) activity. It is a very potent muscle relaxant drug, with an ED95 of only 60 µg/kg body weight. The onset of action is relatively slow compared to other similar drugs, in part due to its low dose - an intubating dose takes 3–6 minutes for full effect. Clinical effects (muscle activity lower than 25% of physiological) last for about 100 minutes. The time needed for full (over 90% muscle activity) recovery after single administration is about 120–180 minutes in healthy adults. Pancuronium is used with general anesthesia in surgery for muscle relaxation and as an aid to intubation or ventilation. It does not have sedative or analgesic effects. Side-effects include moderately raised heart rate and thereby arterial pressure and cardiac output, excessive salivation, apnea and respiratory depression, rashes, flushing, and sweating. The muscular relaxation can be dangerous for the seriously ill and it can accumulate leading to extended weakness. Pancuronium is not preferable to long-term use in ICU-ventilated patients. Pancuronium is also used as one component of a lethal injection in the administration of the death penalty in some parts of the United States.

Pancuronium (trademarked as Pavulon) is an aminosteroid muscle relaxant with various medical uses. Pancuronium is a typical non-depolarizing curare-mimetic muscle relaxant. It competitively inhibits the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction by blocking the binding of acetylcholine. It has slight vagolytic activity, causing an increase in heart rate, but no ganglioplegic (i.e., blocking ganglions) activity. It is a very potent muscle relaxant drug, with an ED95 of only 60 µg/kg body weight. The onset of action is relatively slow compared to other similar drugs, in part due to its low dose - an intubating dose takes 3–6 minutes for full effect. Clinical effects (muscle activity lower than 25% of physiological) last for about 100 minutes. The time needed for full (over 90% muscle activity) recovery after single administration is about 120–180 minutes in healthy adults. Pancuronium is used with general anesthesia in surgery for muscle relaxation and as an aid to intubation or ventilation. It does not have sedative or analgesic effects. Side-effects include moderately raised heart rate and thereby arterial pressure and cardiac output, excessive salivation, apnea and respiratory depression, rashes, flushing, and sweating. The muscular relaxation can be dangerous for the seriously ill and it can accumulate leading to extended weakness. Pancuronium is not preferable to long-term use in ICU-ventilated patients. Pancuronium is also used as one component of a lethal injection in the administration of the death penalty in some parts of the United States.