From the Research
Alfaxalone is not currently approved for use in humans in most countries, including the United States, but a recent study has investigated its use in humans as an anesthetic. It is primarily used as a veterinary anesthetic for dogs, cats, and other animals. Alfaxalone was previously available for human use in the 1970s as part of a combination product called Althesin, but it was withdrawn from human clinical practice due to hypersensitivity reactions associated with the solvent used in the formulation. The adverse reactions were primarily attributed to the polyethoxylated castor oil vehicle rather than alfaxalone itself. Modern veterinary formulations use cyclodextrin as a solvent, which has improved the safety profile for animal use.
- A recent study published in 2020 1 investigated the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of alfaxalone in human male volunteers, which suggests that alfaxalone may have potential for human use as an anesthetic.
- However, it is essential to note that alfaxalone has not yet returned to clinical practice for humans, and any future human use would require extensive clinical trials and regulatory approval.
- Other studies have explored the use of alfaxalone in veterinary medicine, including its efficacy and safety in canine refractory status epilepticus 2 and its comparison to propofol in dogs 3.
- Additionally, a study published in 2024 4 investigated the use of alfaxalone-xylazine-buprenorphine for surgical anesthesia in mice, which highlights the ongoing research into the potential applications of alfaxalone in veterinary medicine.
- While alfaxalone has favorable properties as an anesthetic, including rapid onset, short duration of action, and minimal cardiovascular effects, its use in humans remains limited to research studies, and it is not currently approved for human use.