Rociverine citrate: a new spasmolytic agent, potentially useful in the treatment of urinary bladder hyperreflexia.

Rociverine citrate was evaluated for its ability to affect the motility of rat urinary bladder, in vitro and in vivo, in comparison with flavoxate hydrochloride. Rociverine counteracted both methacholine- and high K+-induced tonic contractions of bladder strips. In anaesthetized rats, intravenous rociverine inhibited dose-dependently frequency and amplitude of the distension-induced rhythmic contractions (DIRCs) of urinary bladder and counteracted the topical high K+-induced pressure increase in the same organ. Orally administered rociverine produced a dose-related reversal of the reserpine-induced detrusor hyperreflexia in anaesthetized rats. In each of these experimental models rociverine was more effective than flavoxate. These results point to the usefulness of rociverine in the treatment of urinary bladder motility disorders.