Metamizole is a prodrug which, at room temperature and in an atmosphere with oxygen, is spontaneously, nonenzymatically converted to 4-Methylamino antipyrine. Subsequently, the N-methyl side chain of 4-Methylamino antipyrine is oxidized to yield 4-formylaminoantipyrine, which is further converted to 4-aminoantipyrine. Metamizole in aqueous solution and in the presence of oxygen consists of a group of several pyrazolone derivatives of which 4-Methylamino antipyrine is pharmacologically the most important.