Observations upon roles of ether oxygen, alkyl group size, number of onium centres and inter-onium distance upon neuromuscular block in bis- and polyonium compounds.

Using the method of Van Rossum & Ariëns (1959), a number of bis-, tris- and tetra-onium neuromuscular blocking agents have been classified into depolarizing, non-depolarizing and intermediate-acting compounds. This investigation confirmed the results of experiments using conventional techniques. The role of the ether oxygen link, the effects of inter-onium distance, alkyl group size and the number and nature of the onium groups were also investigated, and the reasons underlying the observed quantitative and qualitative differences discussed.