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Procaterol

Pharmaceutical drug

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
1 min read
Source updated July 27, 2026
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Procaterol (INNTooltip International Nonproprietary Name), sold under the brand name Meptin among others, is a β2-adrenergic receptor agonist which is used in the treatment of asthma. It has been used extensively in Japan and is available in many countries, but is not marketed in the United States or the United Kingdom. The drug is orally active and can also be used by inhalation.

Procaterol was patented in 1974 and came into medical use in 1980. It is similar to salbutamol (albuterol), but has a somewhat more prolonged action. The drug is readily oxidized in the presence of moisture and air, and requires stabilizers for use by inhalation.

01Side effects

Side effects of procaterol include tremors and nervousness among others.

Procaterol synthesis:
Procaterol synthesis:

02Chemistry

Procaterol is a substituted phenylisobutylamine (α-ethylphenethylamine), β-hydroxyamphetamine, and cyclized phenethylamine. It has an unusual chemical structure compared to many other β-adrenergic receptor agonists.

Synthesis

8-Hydroxycarbostyril 1 is acylated with 2-bromobutyric acid chloride 2 at the fifth position of the quinoline system, which gives the compound 3. This undergoes action of isopropylamine, forming an aminoketone, the carbonyl group of which is reduced by sodium borohydride, giving procaterol 4.

Analogues

Analogues of procaterol include isoprenaline (isoproterenol), isoetarine (isoetharine), isoetarine, and salbutamol, among others.

03Society and culture

Names

It is also known as procaterol hydrochloride (USAN). Procaterol is available under a number of trade names (Onsukil, Masacin, Procadil and others).

Watch videos about ProcaterolExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Procaterol”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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Related topics

Phenylisobutylamine

Phenylisobutylamine, also known as α-ethylphenethylamine or as butanphenamine (B), is a stimulant drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine families. It is a higher homologue of amphetamine, differing from amphetamine's molecular structure only by the substitution of the methyl group at the alpha position of the side chain with an ethyl group.

Substituted β-hydroxyamphetamine

Substituted β-hydroxyamphetamines, or simply β-hydroxyamphetamines, also known as phenylisopropanolamines, phenylpropanolamines, norephedrines, or cathinols, are derivatives of β-hydroxyamphetamine with one or more chemical substituents. They are substituted phenethylamines, phenylethanolamines, and amphetamines (α-methylphenethylamines), and are closely related to but distinct from the substituted cathinones (β-ketoamphetamines).