Succinylcholine Chloride: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Succinylcholine Chloride is a depolarizing neuromuscular blocker sold in the U.S. under 5 brand and generic names. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Depolarizing Neuromuscular Blocker
- Available as
- Injectable
- Sold as
- 5 products — Anectine, Quelicin and Quelicin Preservative Free, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
How succinylcholine chloride is dosed
From the FDA label for Anectine (application NDA008453). Other succinylcholine chloride products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
For intravenous or intramuscular use only ( 2.1 ). • Individualize dosage after careful assessment of the patient ( 2.1 ) • Accidental administration of neuromuscular blocking agents may be fatal. Store ANECTINE with the cap and ferrule intact and in a manner that minimizes the possibility of selecting the wrong product ( 2.1 ). • See full prescribing information for ANECTINE dosage recommendations, preparation instructions, and administration information ( 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 , 2.5 ). 2.1 Important Dosage and Administration Information • ANECTINE is for intravenous or intramuscular use only. • ANECTINE must be titrated to effect by or under supervision of experienced clinicians who are familiar with its actions and with appropriate neuromuscular monitoring techniques. • ANECTINE should be administered only by those skilled in the management of artificial respiration and only when facilities are instantly available for tracheal intubation and for providing adequate ventilation of the patient, including the administration of oxygen under positive pressure and the elimination of carbon dioxide. The clinician must be prepared to assist or control respiration. • The dosage of ANECTINE should be individualized and should always be determined by the clinician after careful assessment of the patient. • To avoid distress to the patient, succinylcholine should not be administered before…
Succinylcholine Chloride side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling: • Ventricular Dysrhythmias, Cardiac Arrest and Death from Hyperkalemic Rhabdomyolysis in Pediatric Patients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Anaphylaxis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Hyperkalemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] • Malignant hyperthermia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] • Bradycardia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] • Increased intraocular pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] • Prolonged Neuromuscular Block due to Phase II Block and Tachyphylaxis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] The following adverse reactions associated with the use of succinylcholine were identified in clinical studies or postmarketing reports. Because some of these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure: Cardiovascular disorders : Cardiac arrest, arrhythmias, bradycardia, tachycardia, hypertension, hypotension Electrolyte disorders : Hyperkalemia Eye disorders : Increased intraocular pressure Gastrointestinal disorders : Excessive salivation Immune system disorders : Hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis (in some cases life-threatening and fatal) Musculoskeletal…
Who shouldn’t take succinylcholine chloride
ANECTINE is contraindicated in patients with: • Known or suspected genetic susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia [see WARNINGS, Malignant Hyperthermia ( 5.5 ), CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Pharmacogenomics ( 12.5 )] • Skeletal muscle myopathies [see WARNINGS, Ventricular Dysrhythmias, Cardiac Arrest, and Death From Hyperkalemic Rhabdomyolysis in Pediatric Patients ( 5.1 )] • Known hypersensitivity to succinylcholine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • After the acute phase of injury following major burns, multiple trauma, extensive denervation of the skeletal muscle, or upper neuron injury because succinylcholine administered to such individuals may result in severe hyperkalemia, which may result in cardiac arrest [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] • Skeletal muscle myopathies ( 4 ) • Known hypersensitivity to succinylcholine ( 4 ) • After the acute phase of injury following major burns, multiple trauma, extensive denervation of skeletal muscle, or upper motor neuron injury ( 4 ) • Known or suspected genetic susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia ( 4 )
Succinylcholine Chloride drug interactions
Drugs that may Enhance the Neuromuscular Blocking Action of Succinylcholine: promazine, oxytocin, aprotinin, certain non-penicillin antibiotics, quinidine, β-adrenergic blockers, procainamide, lidocaine, trimethaphan, lithium carbonate, magnesium salts, quinine, chloroquine, isoflurane, desflurane, metoclopramide, terbutaline, and drugs that reduce plasma cholinesterase activity. ( 7.1 ) 7.1 Drugs that May Affect the Neuromuscular Blocking Action of ANECTINE Drugs that may enhance the neuromuscular blocking action of succinylcholine include: promazine, oxytocin, aprotinin, certain non-penicillin antibiotics, β-adrenergic blockers, procainamide, lidocaine, trimethaphan, lithium carbonate, magnesium salts, quinine, chloroquine, diethylether, isoflurane, desflurane, metoclopramide, and terbutaline. The neuromuscular blocking effect of succinylcholine may be enhanced by drugs that reduce plasma cholinesterase activity (e.g., chronically administered oral contraceptives, glucocorticoids, or certain monoamine oxidase inhibitors) or by drugs that irreversibly inhibit plasma cholinesterase [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] . If other neuromuscular blocking agents are to be used during the same procedure, the possibility of a synergistic or antagonistic effect should be considered.
Every succinylcholine chloride product we track (5)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 68/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | 52/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 3 | 52/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 4 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 5 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → |
Succinylcholine Chloride recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
Succinylcholine Chloride Injection
Out-of-Specification (OOS) result during the 6-month stability testing; decreased preservative concentration.
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc. · Sep 26, 2025
Succinylcholine Chloride Injection
Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: Out-of-Specification test results obtained for any individual unknown degradation impurity.
Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc · Aug 27, 2025
How long succinylcholine chloride keeps
The date on a sealed pack is not the only one: some succinylcholine chloride labels start a second clock once the product is opened or mixed, as short as 24 hours.
Does succinylcholine chloride expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about succinylcholine chloride
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 2,011 reports naming succinylcholine chloride, and the FDA flagged 85% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- hypotension173 reports
- anaphylactic shock139 reports
- anaphylactic reaction116 reports
- renal failure99 reports
- renal impairment98 reports
- hyperthermia malignant96 reports
- maternal exposure during pregnancy92 reports
- injury87 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean succinylcholine chloride caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 26, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is succinylcholine chloride?
Anectine (Succinylcholine Chloride) is a depolarizing neuromuscular blocker.
What kind of drug is succinylcholine chloride?
The FDA classifies succinylcholine chloride as a depolarizing neuromuscular blocker. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take succinylcholine chloride with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run succinylcholine chloride against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is succinylcholine chloride sold under?
We track 5 succinylcholine chloride-containing products in the U.S.: Anectine, Quelicin, Quelicin Preservative Free, Succinylcholine Chloride and Sucostrin. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does succinylcholine chloride come in?
Across the brands we track, succinylcholine chloride is currently marketed as injectable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic succinylcholine chloride?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic succinylcholine chloride product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Has succinylcholine chloride been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 2 recall records whose product description mentions succinylcholine chloride. The most recent: Succinylcholine Chloride Injection (Sep 26, 2025). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Succinylcholine Chloride: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/succinylcholine-chloride
- MLA
- “Succinylcholine Chloride: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/succinylcholine-chloride.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for succinylcholine chloride on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.