Clinical Drug Experience Knowledgebase

Propantheline is an antimuscarinic agent used for the treatment of excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), cramps or spasms of the stomach, intestines (gut) or bladder, and involuntary urination (enuresis). It can also be used to control the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and similar conditions. Propantheline is one of a group of antispasmodic medications which work by blocking the action of the chemical messenger acetylcholine, which is produced by nerve cells, to muscarinic receptors present in various smooth muscular tissues, in places such as the gut, bladder, and eye. Normally, the binding of acetylcholine induces involuntary smooth muscular contractions. Varying degrees of drying of salivary secretions may occur as well as decreased sweating. Ophthalmic side effects include blurred vision, mydriasis, cycloplegia, and increased ocular tension. Other reported adverse reactions include urinary hesitancy and retention, tachycardia, palpitations, loss of the sense of taste, headache, nervousness, mental confusion, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, bloated feeling, impotence, suppression of lactation, and allergic reactions or drug idiosyncrasies including anaphylaxis, urticaria and other dermal manifestations.   ^NCATS