Drotaverine


Drotaverine is an antispasmodic drug, used to enhance cervical dilation during childbirth.
It is structurally related to papaverine, is a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4, and has no anticholinergic effects.
It is available in Asian and Central and Eastern European countries under several brand names.
An article from 2013 described the effects from overdose as including vomiting, seizures and fatal cardiac toxicity.
In 2016, the young Russian chess player Ivan Bukavshin died of a massive overdose of the drug, which was originally thought to be a stroke. his doses was 17 mg/kg in the blood stream.

Counterfeits

In Israel the product is known under the brand name "No-Spa" by the general public which did not receive a permit to be distributed by the health ministry, However due to high demand local medical counterfeiters had managed to smuggle No-Spa tablets during the years.
In 2008 the Israeli health organization warned consumers from counterfeit No-SPA pills after a smuggler had been arrested at the Ben Gurion Airport with several thousand pills.
In 2011 Israeli patent and trade mark office declined the use of the No-SPA.