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| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Trade names | Iopidine |
| AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
| MedlinePlus | a608005 |
| Routes of administration | Topical (ophthalmic solution) |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Protein binding | 98.7% |
| Eliminationhalf-life | 8 hours |
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| CompTox Dashboard(EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.164.104 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C9H10Cl2N4 |
| Molar mass | 245.11 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
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Apraclonidine (INN), also known under the brand nameIopidine, is asympathomimetic used inglaucoma therapy. It is anα2 adrenergic receptoragonist and a weakα1 adrenergic receptor agonist.[citation needed]
Topical apraclonidine is administered at a concentration of 1% for the prevention and treatment of post-surgicalintraocular pressure (IOP) elevation and 0.5% for short-term adjunctive therapy in patients on maximally tolerated medical therapy who require additional reduction of IOP. One drop is usually added one hour prior to lasereye surgery and another drop is given after the procedure is complete.[citation needed]
Apraclonidine is indicated for the short-term adjunctive treatment of glaucoma for patients on maximally tolerated medical therapy who require additional reduction of IOP. These patients, who are treated with apraclonidine to delay surgery, should have frequent follow-up examinations and treatment should be discontinued if the intraocular pressure rises significantly.[citation needed]
Apraclonidine may be useful in the diagnosis ofHorner's syndrome. In Horner's syndrome, the sympathetic innervation to the pupillary dilator muscle is lost. The affected pupil is thus miotic and the pupillary dilator responds to denervation by increasing α1 receptors. Apraclonidine is useful in this case due to its weak α1-adrenergic properties. When applied to the denervated (and thus hyper-sensitive) pupillary dilator muscle, a super-normal dilatory response is generated in which the pupil dilates to a degree greater than that which would be seen in a non-denervated muscle. This causes the reversal ofanisocoria that is characteristic of Horner's.[citation needed]
Topical apraclonidine can also decrease IOP in glaucoma patients by increasing trabecular outflow, in a similar way toclonidine,[1] but without the cardiovascular side effects. Apraclonidine has been compared with other treatments such asbrimonidine andpilocarpine in preventing IOP spikes afterlaser trabeculoplasty.[2] The results did not show significant differences in the reduction of IOP for apraclonidine, when compared to brimonidine or pilocarpine.[2]
