Abstract

Hyoscine butylbromide (Buscopan - Boehringer Ingelheim) is an atropine-like antispasmodic that is claimed to be ‘the rational treatment of spasmodic dysmenorrhoea’;¹ it is also advocated for use in renal and biliary colic, and peptic ulcer. We discussed the drug in 1963,² and concluded that given by injection it can relieve colic and overcome smooth muscle spasm occurring during radiological investigations, but that by mouth the doses recommended by the makers were likely to be no better than a placebo.