Tricaine mesylate
Clinical data
Other namesSyncaine
Metacaine
Tricaine
MS-222
Finquel
TMS
ATCvet code
Identifiers
  • Ethyl 3-aminobenzoate methanesulfonic acid
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.011.779 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC10H15NO5S
Molar mass261.29 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Melting point149.5 °C (301.1 °F)
  • [NH3+]C1=CC=CC(C(OCC)=O)=C1.CS(=O)([O-])=O
  • InChI=1S/C9H11NO2.CH4O3S/c1-2-12-9(11)7-4-3-5-8(10)6-7;1-5(2,3)4/h3-6H,2,10H2,1H3;1H3,(H,2,3,4) ☒N
  • Key:FQZJYWMRQDKBQN-UHFFFAOYSA-N ☒N
 ☒NcheckY (what is this?)  (verify)

Tricaine mesylate (Tricaine methanesulfonate, TMS, MS-222, Syncaine, Tricaine-S,), is white powder used for anesthesia, sedation, or euthanasia of fish. TMS is the only anesthetic licensed in the United States for fin fish that are intended for human consumption. The drug can have selective toxicity for poikilotherms due to their lower rate of metabolism in the liver.[1]

Tricaine is an anaesthetic that operates by preventing sodium ions to enter the cell and thus silencing action potentials.[2] This has the net effect of blocking signal exchange between the brain and extremities.

MSD Animal Health is one of the largest manufacturers of Tricaine in Norway and other European markets under the brand name Finquel.[3] The largest manufacturer of Tricaine in North America is Syndel under the brand name Syncaine. Syncaine is manufactured in Ferndale, Washington, in the United States.[4][better source needed] Syncaine is used for handling fish, amphibians, and other cold-blooded animals during manual spawning, as well as during marking, measuring, photography, research, surgical operations, transport, and weighing of fish.

The optimum concentration may vary with the size and species of the fish, and other variables.

It is easily soluble in water (both fresh and salt) but it drastically decreases the pH of water, increasing the acidity, which may be toxic for fish. Sodium bicarbonate can be used to buffer the solution to a pH range of 6.5-7.5. Usually an equal amount of buffer is added to attain a neutral pH.[5] In salt/marine/sea water, the buffer use may not be necessary because sea water itself has buffering capacity[citation needed]. The solution of TMS needs to be prepared freshly each time because TMS is light-sensitive and might form toxic by-products upon exposure to light[citation needed]. Fish treated with Tricaine cannot be slaughtered for human consumption until a certain withdrawal period is reached, for example 21 days in the United States for Syncaine.[6]

References

  1. ^ Wayson KA, Downes H, Lynn RK, Gerber N (September 1976). "Studies on the comparative pharmacology and selective toxicity of tricaine methanesulfonate: metabolism as a basis of the selective toxicity in poikilotherms". The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 198 (3): 695–708. PMID 185356.
  2. ^ Carter KM, Woodley CM, Brown RS (2011). "A review of tricaine methanesulfonate for anesthesia of fish". Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 21 (1): 51–59. Bibcode:2011RFBF...21...51C. doi:10.1007/s11160-010-9188-0. S2CID 39693748.
  3. ^ "MSD ANIMAL HEALTH ACQUIRES SCAN AQUA AS". Fish Focus. 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
  4. ^ "Tricaine-S (MS-222) Fish Anesthetic | Aqualife TMS Fish Sedative". Syndel. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  5. ^ Brown C, Pavek T. "Fish and Amphibian Euthanasia". In Bowser P (ed.). Animal Care and Use Procedure (ACUP) (PDF). Cornell University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Approved Aquaculture Drugs FDA". Food and Drug Administration. 26 July 2023.
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