Hexamethonium hydroxide
[CAS# 556-81-0]

Identification

• Classification: Surfactant >> Cationic surfactant >> Quaternary ammonium salt type
• Name: Hexamethonium hydroxide
• Synonyms: trimethyl-[6-(trimethylazaniumyl)hexyl]azanium dihydroxide
• Molecular Formula: C₁₂H₃₂N₂O₂
• Molecular Weight: 236.39
• CAS Registry Number: 556-81-0
• EC Number: 611-300-1
• SMILES: C[N+](C)(C)CCCCCC[N+](C)(C)C.[OH-].[OH-]

Properties

• Density: 1.000 g/mL

Safety Data

• Hazard Symbols: GHS05 Danger
• Hazard Statements: H314-H318
• Precautionary Statements: P260-P264-P264+P265-P280-P301+P330+P331-P302+P361+P354-P304+P340-P305+P354+P338-P316-P317-P321-P363-P405-P501

Hazard Classification

Hazard	Class	Category Code	Hazard Statement
Skin corrosion	Skin Corr.	1B	H314
Serious eye damage	Eye Dam.	1	H318

Discovory and Applicatios

Hexamethonium hydroxide is a chemical compound that belongs to the class of quaternary ammonium salts. It is derived from hexamethonium, which is a quaternary amine containing six carbon atoms in a symmetrical arrangement. Hexamethonium was first synthesized in the 1940s and became widely studied for its pharmacological effects, particularly in the context of its role as a ganglionic blocker.

Historically, hexamethonium was used as an antihypertensive agent. It works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses in autonomic ganglia, which are clusters of nerve cells involved in regulating involuntary bodily functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, and digestion. By inhibiting these ganglionic transmissions, hexamethonium was able to reduce blood pressure, making it useful in the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure). However, its use as a therapeutic agent was largely phased out in the 1950s due to its side effects, such as hypotension (low blood pressure), dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision, which resulted from the widespread blockade of autonomic nerve function.

In its hydroxide form, hexamethonium exists as a solid and is typically handled as a salt. The hydroxide counterion is derived from the combination of hexamethonium with hydroxide, forming a basic solution in water. Hexamethonium hydroxide is primarily used in research and experimental settings today, particularly in pharmacology and neurobiology, where it continues to serve as a tool to explore the role of ganglionic transmission in the autonomic nervous system.

Hexamethonium hydroxide is studied in the context of its ability to block both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve signals, providing insight into the function of the autonomic nervous system. Despite its limited application as a therapeutic agent, hexamethonium remains a valuable research compound in studies on ganglionic neurotransmission, autonomic regulation, and the development of new treatments for hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

References

2024 Losartan attenuates sex-dependent hypertension, neuroinflammation, and cognitive impairment in the aging male sprague�dawley rat. GeroScience, 1, 1.
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01409-4

2024 The sympathetic nervous system in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Heart Failure Reviews, 1, 1.
DOI: 10.1007/s10741-024-10456-0

2024 Optimization of an autaptic culture system for studying cholinergic synapses in sympathetic ganglia. Pfl�gers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology, 1, 1.
DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-03023-x