Bambuterol is an oral prodrug of terbutaline with a prolonged duration of bronchodilator action that allows once-daily administration. It is an inactive site-specific prodrug that delivers active terbutaline only to the target tissue i.e., lung. It is a very effective long acting beta-adrenoceptor agonist. Clinical studies have shown that bambuterol is as effective as other oral and inhaled i2-agonists including salbutamol, terbutaline and Salmeterol, and theophylline(both conventional and controlled release formulations). Bambuterol is commercially available from the pharmacy major AstraZeneca under the trade names Bambec and Oxeol.

Bambuterol is used in maintenance treatment of bronchial asthma, Nocturnal asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) . The typical dosage for adults is 10mg tablet once daily in the evening, may be increased to 20mg after 1-2 weeks.

Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients or terbutaline, Hepatic impairment liver, cirrhosis or severely impaired liver function. Special Precautions: Dose should be reduced in patient with severely impaired renal function; care should be taken while prescribing bambuterol in patients with genetic deficiencies of plasma cholinesterase, caution should be implemented in patients with severe ischaemic heart failure. In case of Pregnancy and lactation: it is not recommended. Side effects include Tremor, headache, muscle cramps, palpitation, fatigue and insomnia. Generally, these effects were mild in nature and their incidence decreased with time.

Drug Interactions: Bambuterol reversibly inhibits plasma cholinesterase which prolongs the neuromuscular blockade induced by succinylcholine by upto four times. Hypertensive crisis and other adverse effects occur frequently with the concur rent use of bambuterol with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, bambuterol may partly or totally inhibit
the effect of p-blockers.