Last reviewed 2026-04-20 · How we verify

Urecholine (BETHANECHOL)

Urecholine (BETHANECHOL) is a cholinergic muscarinic agonist, a small molecule that targets the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3. It was originally developed and is now owned by Teva Branded Pharm. Approved by the FDA in 1948, it is used to treat retention of urine. Urecholine is off-patent and has multiple generic manufacturers. As an off-patent medication, it is widely available.

At a glance

Approved indications

• Retention of urine

Common side effects

• abdominal cramps or discomfort
• colicky pain
• nausea and belching
• diarrhea
• borborygmi
• salivation
• urinary urgency
• headache
• fall in blood pressure with reflux tachycardia
• vasomotor response
• flushing producing feeling of warmth
• sensation of heat about the face

Key clinical trials

• Stimulation With Bethanechol in Combination With Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (PHASE2)
• Bethanechol Prior to Pancreatic Surgery (EARLY_PHASE1)
• The Effect of Bethanechol on Tracheobronchomalacia
• Effectiveness of Bethanechol Chloride and Early Bladder Training for Prevention of Bladder Dysfunction After Radical Hysterectomy in Cervical Cancer Stage IB - IIA (PHASE4)
• The Effects of Bethanechol on Glucose Homeostasis (PHASE1)
• Bethanechol for Eosinophilic Esophagitis (PHASE2)
• Topical Bethanechol for Improvement of Esophageal Dysmotility (PHASE1)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Urecholine CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Urecholine updates RSS · CI watch RSS