What Is Propyphenazone?
Propyphenazone is a chemical compound with a molecular weight of 230.306 and the chemical formula C14H18N2O. It works by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins.
It is known that the pain effects of bradykinin, a bioactive substance involved in inflammation and pain, are enhanced by prostaglandins. Propyphenazone inhibits the pain-enhancing effects of prostaglandins on bradykinin by blocking these prostaglandins.
Uses of Propyphenazone
As mentioned above, propyphenazone is used as an antipyretic analgesic because it inhibits the prostaglandin potentiating effect on bradykinin. It is not only used as a prescription drug, but is also widely used in over-the-counter cold remedies.
Side effects of propyphenazone have been reported to include shock, cutaneous mucous membrane eye syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis. As a result, propyphenazone has been banned from production in several countries.
Properties of Propyphenazone
Propyphenazone has a melting point of 103°C-105°C, a boiling point of about 372°C, and is solid at room temperature. It is only slightly soluble in water, but is extremely soluble in acetic acid (100%), ethanol (96%), and methylene chloride. However, it is unstable to high temperatures, strong acids, and strong alkalis, and may decompose.
Pharmacologically, it exhibits antipyretic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. It also has an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation. Prostaglandins are among the substances that cause headaches and menstrual cramps.
Propyphenazone also has antipyretic effects. It acts on the thermoregulatory center to dilate skin blood vessels and promote the dissipation of heat.
Structure of Propyphenazone
Propyphenazone is a compound with a pyrazolone skeleton, which has an isopropyl group and a benzene ring.
Pyrazolone is a compound with a five-membered ring structure, pyrazoline, from which one hydrogen atom has been replaced by a carbonyl group. Pyrazolines are heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen atoms in two adjacent positions of the five-membered ring.
The isopropyl group is an alkyl group in the form of propane (CH3CH2CH3) with one hydrogen removed from the center carbon. The “iso” in “isopropyl” means “branched at the end of the alkyl group.”
The benzene ring is a ring structure consisting of six carbon atoms. Compounds with benzene rings are collectively called aromatic compounds. Therefore, pyrazolone is a type of aromatic compound.
Other Information on Propyphenazone
1. Safety Information on Propyphenazone
Antipyretic analgesics like propyphenazone, whose basic skeleton is the pyrazolone skeleton, are known as pyrine antipyretic analgesics.
Pyrine-type antipyretic analgesics are effective and have a long duration of action, but they have side effects such of a rash (known as pyrine rash), edema, and hematopoietic disorders, so caution is required.
Shock, cutaneous mucous membrane eye syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported as side effects of propyphenazone. For this reason, it is banned from production in several countries.
Countries where propyphenazone is banned include Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, and Turkey.
It is used in South America, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, Pakistan, Japan, Indonesia, etc