Tamsulosin, sold under the trade name Flomax, is a medication used to treat symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), help with the passage of kidney stones, and for urinary retention along with other measures.
Tamsulosin, and other medications in the class called alpha blockers, work by relaxing bladder neck muscles and muscle fibers in the prostate itself and make it easier to urinate. It is an α1a adrenergic receptor antagonist.
Tamsulosin was developed by Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals (now part of Astellas Pharma) and was first marketed in 1996. The U.S. patent expired in October 2009. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved generics in March 2010.
Uses: BENIGN PROSTATE HYPERPLASIA
IUPAC: (R)-5-(2-{[2-(2-Ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino}propyl)-2-methoxybenzene-1-sulfonamide