Calcium carbimide

Calcium carbimide

Clinical data
ATC code	N07BB02 (WHO)
Identifiers
IUPAC name calcium 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate; methylcyanamide
CAS Number	8013-88-5
PubChem CID	6335910
E number	{{#property:P628}}
ECHA InfoCard	{{#property:P2566}}
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C6H8O7.CH2N2.Ca
Molar mass	288.268 g/mol

Calcium carbimide, sold as the citrate salt under the trade name Temposil, is an alcohol sensitizing agent. Its effects are similar to the drug disulfiram (Antabuse) in that it interferes with the normal metabolism of alcohol by preventing the breakdown of the metabolic byproduct acetaldehyde. The result is that when alcohol is consumed by users of calcium carbimide, they experience severe reactions which include symptoms such as sweating, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, rash, nausea and vomiting, and headache.

While calcium carbimide is a good adjunct to other treatments for alcoholism, it has been found that, as with Antabuse, it is an ineffective therapy on its own, and many alcoholics will voluntarily discontinue the drug in order to continue drinking.