methenamine
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A chemical compound used as an antibacterial agent: Methenamine is a synthetic organic compound primarily used in medicine to treat and prevent urinary tract infections. It works by converting to formaldehyde in acidic urine, which then kills bacteria.
Examples of Usage
- The doctor prescribed a course of methenamine for the recurrent bladder infection.
- Methenamine is an effective prophylactic treatment for patients prone to urinary infections.
- Some over-the-counter urinary antiseptic products contain methenamine as the active ingredient.
Advanced Usage
- Methenamine hippurate and methenamine mandelate are common salt forms of the drug, which are more stable and used in pharmaceutical preparations.
Variants and Related Words
- Hexamethylenetetramine: This is the systematic chemical name for methenamine.
- Urex (trade name): A brand name for a medication containing methenamine.
- Mandelamine (trade name): A brand name for methenamine mandelate.
Synonyms
- Hexamine (primarily in industrial/chemical contexts)
- Urinary antiseptic (describes its function, not the compound itself)
Notes on Different Meanings
- The primary and almost exclusive modern use of "methenamine" is in a medical/pharmaceutical context as a urinary antibacterial drug.
- In industrial chemistry, the same compound (hexamethylenetetramine) is used as a solid fuel for camping stoves and in the production of other chemicals, but this usage is rarely referred to as "methenamine" outside specialized fields.
Noun
- antibacterial agent (trade names Mandelamine and Urex) that is contained in many products that are used to treat urinary infections