Orciprenaline, also known as metaproterenol, is a selective β2-adrenergic agonist used primarily as a bronchodilator to relax bronchial smooth muscles, making it effective in the management of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other obstructive airway diseases. Developed in the 1960s, it was introduced as a safer and more selective alternative to non-specific sympathomimetics, providing rapid relief of bronchospasm with reduced cardiac side effects. Its development marked an important step in respiratory therapy, contributing to the class of selective β2-agonists widely used today.
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