Abstract
An inhibition assay was used to determine quantitatively the allergic cross-reactivity of some myoneural blocking drugs not yet released for use in Australia, in the sera of patients who had experienced anaphylactic reactions to neuromuscular blocking drugs. Two of the compounds, metocurine and atracurium were highly cross-reactive with the currently used myoneural blockers; fazadinium was weakly cross-reactive and vecuronium intermediate in potency between these two extremes. From these results, we predict that anaphylactic reactions to these compounds, and particularly to metocurine and atracurium, will occur in some patients allergic to the currently used neuromuscular blocking agents.