Dose-Response Curves for Alcuronium and Pancuronium Alone and in Combination

Abstract

Simultaneous administration of pancuronium and alcuronium was used in surgical patients during nitrous oxide — narcotic — barbiturate anaesthesia in order to determine the intensity of neuromuscular blockade. When compared with the results obtained when each of the drugs was given alone, the effect was not greater than the additive. The mean effective dose of pancuronium to produce 95% paralysis was 76 μg per kg for the mechanical twitch response and 70 μg per kg for the electrical response. The respective mean doses of alcuronium producing that degree of paralysis were 285 and 244 μg per kg. Usually the curve derived for the mechanical twitch response was to the right of, and roughly parallel to, that for the electrical response.