Medetomidine HCl

White to off-white powder. Soluble in water (20mg/ml) or DMSO (20mg/ml). Chemical. CAS: 86347-15-1. Formula: C13H17ClN2. MW: 236.75. Synthetic. Medetomidine is an imidazole derivative. It acts as a potent selective agonist of alpha2-adrenoceptors (Ki=1.08nM vs. 1750nM for alpha1-adrenoceptors). Through its effect on alpha2-adrenoceptors, medetomidine has sedative, antinociceptive, hypotenisve, bradycardic, anxiolytic, analgesic and hypothermic actions. Its effects on pain are additive or synergistic with fentanyl-type opioids. The effects of medetomidine are effectively countered by alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists, like atipamezole. Selective alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists, including medetomidine, have anesthetic sparing properties, greatly reducing the dose of anesthetic required following premedication with the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist.