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Racemic adrenaline
Racemic adrenaline (epinephrine) activates alpha and beta adrenergic receptors to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and bronchial dilation.
Racemic adrenaline (epinephrine) activates alpha and beta adrenergic receptors to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and bronchial dilation. Used for Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) — inhalation therapy, Anaphylaxis, Cardiac arrest.
At a glance
| Generic name | Racemic adrenaline |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Racemic adrenaline, racemic epinephrine, S2, vaponefrin, micronefrin |
| Sponsor | Oslo University Hospital |
| Drug class | Sympathomimetic amine; adrenergic agonist |
| Target | Alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Emergency medicine; Cardiovascular; Respiratory |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Racemic adrenaline is a non-selective adrenergic agonist that binds to both alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors. This produces sympathomimetic effects including increased cardiac output and heart rate (beta-1), peripheral vasoconstriction (alpha-1), and bronchial smooth muscle relaxation (beta-2). The racemic form contains equal amounts of D- and L-enantiomers.
Approved indications
- Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) — inhalation therapy
- Anaphylaxis
- Cardiac arrest
- Severe hypotension
Common side effects
- Tachycardia
- Hypertension
- Tremor
- Anxiety
- Headache
- Palpitations
- Arrhythmias
Key clinical trials
- Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Standard Versus Positive Pressure Nebulization in Infants With Bronchiolitis to Reduce Hospital Admissions (NA)
- Cardiovascular Effects of Racemic Epinephrine Pellets (PHASE2, PHASE3)
- Treatment for Endogenous Cushing's Syndrome (PHASE3)
- Heliox-Driven Racemic Epinephrine in Treatment of Bronchiolitis in Pediatric ED Patients (PHASE3)
- Nebulized Hypertonic Saline (3%) Versus Nebulized Adrenaline for Treatment of Bronchiolitis (NA)
- Prophylactic Racemic Epinephrine in Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (NA)
- Bronchiolitis All-study, SE-Norway (PHASE4)
- Home Oxygen Therapy in Bronchiolitis (PHASE4)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Racemic adrenaline CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Racemic adrenaline updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Oslo University Hospital portfolio CI