Last reviewed 2026-04-20 · How we verify

Drotaverin (DROTAVERINE)

Drotaverine works by blocking calcium channels in smooth muscle cells, preventing muscle spasms.

Drotaverine is a small molecule drug that targets the voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel subunit alpha-1C. It belongs to the drotaverine class and is used to treat smooth muscle spasms. The commercial status of drotaverine is unknown, and it is not FDA-approved. Drotaverine has a half-life of 9.3 hours and bioavailability of 58%. It is a generic medication, but the availability of generic manufacturers is unknown.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

Imagine your muscles are like a group of people trying to get through a doorway. Calcium channels are like the door handles that let the people (calcium ions) in. When these channels are blocked, the people can't get in, and the muscle doesn't contract as much, reducing spasms.

Approved indications

No approved indications tracked.

Common side effects

• Abdominal pain

Key clinical trials

• Contrast-enhanced Bowel Ultrasound in Making a Diagnosis and Follow-up of Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (NA)
• Drotaverine in Dysmenorrhoea Treatment (PHASE4)
• Urinary Retention in Orthopedic Patients
• Drotaverine to Shorten the Length of Labor (PHASE2,PHASE3)
• Meperidine Versus Drotaverine Regarding the Effect on the Duration of the First Stage of Labor in Full Term Primigravidae (PHASE2)
• Drotaverine Hydrochloride Versus Hyoscine-N-butylbromide for Duodenal Antimotility During Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (PHASE3)

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:

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