How does Buscopan (Hyoscine Bromide) work?
Buscopan tablets contain the active ingredient hyoscine-N-butylbromide, which is a type of medicine called an antispasmodic. It is used to relieve colicky abdominal pain that is caused by painful spasms in the muscles of the gastrointestinal (GI) or genitourinary (GU) tract. Hyoscine works by relaxing the muscle that is found in the walls of the stomach, intestines and bile duct (gastrointestinal tract) and the reproductive organs and urinary tract (genitourinary tract). This type of muscle is called smooth muscle or involuntary muscle. It normally contracts and relaxes in response to natural body chemicals called neurotransmitters. The contractions are caused by a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. These contractions are not under our concious control and we are not normally aware of them. However, if the muscles go into spasm this can cause pain. Hyoscine stops the spasms in the smooth muscle by preventing acetylcholine from acting on the muscle. It does this by blocking the rece
