benzamil benzamil benzamil or benzyl amiloride is a potent blocker of the enac channel and also a sodium-calcium exchange blocker. it is a potent analog of amiloride, and is marketed as the hydrochloride salt (benzamil hydrochloride). as amiloride, benzamil has been studied as a possible treatment for cystic fibrosis, although with disappointing results. benzamil names iupac name 3,5-diamino-n--6-chloropyrazine-2-carboxamide identifiers cas number 2898-76-2 y 3d model (jsmol) interactive imageinteractive image chembl chembl212579 y chemspider 97202 y iuphar/bps 4145 kegg c13751 y mesh benzamil pubchem cid 108107 unii 04659uuj94 y comptox dashboard (epa) dtxsid90183179 inchi inchi=1s/c13h14cln7o/c14-9-11(16)20-10(15)8(19-9)12(22)21-13(17)18-6-7-4-2-1-3-5-7/h1-5h,6h2,(h4,15,16,20)(h3,17,18,21,22) ykey: kxdrogaduisdgy-uhfffaoysa-n yinchi=1/c13h14cln7o/c14-9-11(16)20-10(15)8(19-9)12(22)21-13(17)18-6-7-4-2-1-3-5-7/h1-5h,6h2,(h4,15,16,20)(h3,17,18,21,22)key: kxdrogaduisdgy-uhfffaoyaa smiles clc2nc(c(=o)\n=c(/n)ncc1ccccc1)c(n)nc2nclc2nc(c(=o)nc(=n/cc1ccccc1)/n)c(nc2n)n properties chemical formula c13h14cln7o molar mass 319.75 g/mol except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °c , 100 kpa). y verify (what is yn ?) infobox references structure benzamil is a benzyl group-containing analog of amiloride. like amiloride, it is a guanidinium group-containing pyrazine derivative. mechanism of action amiloride. benzamil is closely related to amiloride. by adding the benzyl group to the nitrogen of the guanidinium group the activity is increased several hundredfold. amiloride works by directly blocking the epithelial sodium channel (enac) thereby inhibiting sodium reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubules and collecting ducts in the kidneys (this mechanism is the same for triamterene). this promotes the loss of sodium and water from the body, but without depleting potassium.