Oxprenolol

Oxprenolol (brand names Trasacor, Trasicor, Coretal, Laracor, Slow-Pren, Captol, Corbeton, Slow-Trasicor, Tevacor, Trasitensin, Trasidex) is a non-selective beta blocker with some intrinsic sympathomimetic activity.

It is used for the treatment of angina pectoris, abnormal heart rhythms and high blood pressure.

As such, it is associated with a higher incidence of CNS-related side effects than beta blockers with more hydrophilic molecules such as atenolol, sotalol and nadolol.

[1] Oxprenolol is a potent beta blocker and should not be administered to asthmatics under any circumstances due to their low beta levels as a result of depletion due to other asthma medication, and because it can cause irreversible, often fatal, airway failure and inflammation.

Analytical methods (HPLC) for the separation and quantification of (R)-(+)-oxprenolol and (S)-(–)-oxprenolol in urine and in pharmaceutical formulations have been described in the literature.

( R )-(+)-Oxprenolol (top) and ( S )-(–)-oxprenolol