Dihistine
Dihistine Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.
The relief of pain (analgesia) is a primary goal for enhancing the quality of life of patients and for increasing the ability of patients to engage in day to day activities. Codeine, an opioid analgesic, was originally approved in the US in 1950 and is a drug used to decrease pain by increasing the threshold for pain without impairing consciousness or altering other sensory functions. Opiates such as codeine are derived from the poppy plant, Papaver somniferum (Papaveraceae).
Codeine is utilized as a central analgesic, sedative, hypnotic, antinociceptive, and antiperistaltic agent, and is also recommended in certain diseases with incessant coughing.
General effects
Guaifenesin possesses a storied history, having been originally formally approved by the US FDA in 1952 and continues to be one of very few - if not perhaps the only drug that is readily available and used as an expectorant . Since that time the agent has been a combination component of various prescription and non-prescription over-the-counter cough and cold products and is currently a widely available over-the-counter generic medication . Although it is principally believed that guaifenesin elicits an action to facilitate productive cough to manage chest congestion , it is not known whether the agent can reliably mitigate coughing.
Regardless, on March 1, 2007, the FDA received a petition asking the FDA to notify the public that some antitussives, expectorants, decongestants, antihistamines, and cough/cold combinations are not known to be safe and effective in children under the age of 6 years . After the negotiation between FDA and major manufacturers, a voluntary transition of labels for not using guaifenesin in children under the age of 4 years was endorsed by FDA in 2008 .
Furthermore, there has also been contemporary research to suggest that guaifenesin possesses and is capable of demonstrating anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant effects to some degree possibly by acting as an NMDA receptor antagonist .
Pseudoephedrine is structurally related to ephedrine but exerts a weaker effect on the sympathetic nervous system. Both drugs naturally occur in in ephedra plant which have a history of use in traditional Eastern medicine and were first researched in the west in 1889. The decongestant effect of pseudoephedrine was described in dogs in 1927.
Pseudoephedrine causes vasoconstriction which leads to a decongestant effect. It has a short duration of action unless formulated as an extended release product. Patients should be counselled regarding the risk of central nervous system stimulation.
| Trade Name | Dihistine |
| Generic | Codeine + guaifenesin + pseudoephedrine |
| Type | Oral liquid, oral tablet |
| Therapeutic Class | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Available Country | United States |
| Last Updated: | September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am |
Uses
Codeine is an opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain when the use of an opioid is indicated.
Codeine sulfate is a form of this drug that is commonly used. It is available in tablet form and indicated for the relief of mild to moderately severe pain, where the use of an opioid analgesic is appropriate .
The solution form is used by itself or combined in a syrup with other drugs and is used as a cough suppressant in adults aged 18 and above , .
Guaifenesin is an expectorant commonly found in OTC products for the symptomatic relief from congested chests and coughs associated with cold, bronchitis, and/or other breathing illnesses.
Guaifenesin is an expectorant that is indicated for providing temporary symptomatic relief from congested chests and coughs which may be due to a cold, bronchitis, and/or other breathing illnesses .
Pseudoephedrine is an alpha and beta adrenergic agonist used to treat nasal and sinus congestion, as well as allergic rhinitis.
Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic amine used for its decongestant activity.
Dihistine is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Common Cold, Cough, Flu caused by Influenza, Mild pain, Pain, Severe Pain, Dry cough, Moderate Pain, Upper respiratory symptoms, Airway secretion clearance therapyAllergic Reaction, Asthma, Asthma, Allergic, Bronchial Asthma, Bronchitis, Bronchospasm, Chronic Bronchitis, Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Diseases, Common Cold, Cough, Cough caused by Common Cold, Coughing caused by Allergies, Coughing caused by Flu caused by Influenza, Drug Allergy, Emphysema, Fever, Flu caused by Influenza, Food Allergy, Headache, House dust allergy, Irritative cough, Laryngitis, Nasal Congestion, Nasal Congestion caused by Common Cold, Phlegm, Pollen Allergy, Productive cough, Rash, Rhinorrhoea, Sneezing, Sore Throat, Tracheitis, Urticaria, Whooping Cough, Acute Rhinitis, Chest congestion, Chills occurring with fever, Dry cough, Excess mucus or phlegm, Mild to moderate pain, Minor aches and pains, Airway secretion clearance therapy, ExpectorantAllergic Rhinitis (AR), Allergies, Common Cold, Common Cold Associated With Cough, Common Cold/Flu, Cough, Cough caused by Common Cold, Eye allergy, Fever, Flu caused by Influenza, Headache, Irritative cough, Nasal Allergies, Nasal Congestion, Nasal Congestion caused by Common Cold, Pain, Perennial Allergy, Priapism, Respiratory Allergy, Rhinorrhoea, Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis, Seasonal Allergies, Sinus Congestion, Sinusitis, Sneezing, Sore Throat, Symptoms of Acute Bronchitis Accompanied by Coughing, Throat irritation, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Upper respiratory tract congestion, Upper respiratory tract signs and symptoms, Dry cough, Minor aches and pains, Sinus pain, Watery itchy eyes, Airway secretion clearance therapy
How Dihistine works
Codeine is a selective agonist for the mu opioid receptor, but with a much weaker affinity to this receptor than morphine, a more potent opioid drug. Codeine binds to mu-opioid receptors, which are involved in the transmission of pain throughout the body and central nervous system , . The analgesic properties of codeine are thought to arise from its conversion to Morphine, although the exact mechanism of analgesic action is unknown at this time , .
Although the exact mechanism of action of guaifenesin may not yet be formally or totally elucidated, it is believed that expectorants like guaifenesin function by increasing mucus secretion . Moreover, it is also further proposed that such expectorants may also act as an irritant to gastric vagal receptors, and recruit efferent parasympathetic reflexes that can elicit glandular exocytosis that is comprised of a less viscous mucus mixture . Subsequently, these actions may provoke coughing that can ultimately flush difficult to access, congealed mucopurulent material from obstructed small airways to facilitate a temporary improvement for the individual .
Consequently, while it is generally proposed that guaifenesin functions as an expectorant by helping to loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid the bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus and make coughs more productive, there has also been research to suggest that guaifenesin possesses and is capable of demonstrating anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant effects to some degree possibly by acting as an NMDA receptor antagonist .
Pseudoephedrine acts mainly as an agonist of alpha adrenergic receptors and less strongly as an agonist of beta adrenergic receptors.[A10896] This agonism of adrenergic receptors produces vasoconstriction which is used as a decongestant and as a treatment of priapism. Pseudoephedrine is also an inhibitor of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin transporters.
The sympathomimetic effects of pseudoephedrine include an increase in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and chronotropic response of the right atria. Pseudoephedrine is also a partial agonist of the anococcygeal muscle. Pseudoephedrine also inhibits NF-kappa-B, NFAT, and AP-1.
Toxicity
Oral LD50: 427 mg kg-1 (rat) .
Overdose/toxicity
Symptoms of opioid toxicity may include confusion, somnolence, shallow breathing, constricted pupils, nausea, vomiting, constipation and a lack of appetite. In severe cases, symptoms of circulatory and respiratory depression may ensue, which may be life-threatening or fatal , .
Teratogenic effects
This drug is classified as a pregnancy Category C drug. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies completed in pregnant women. Codeine should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk of the drug to the fetus .
Codeine has shown embryolethal and fetotoxic effects in the hamster, rat as well as mouse models at about 2-4 times the maximum recommended human dose . Maternally toxic doses that were about 7 times the maximum recommended human dose of 360 mg/day, were associated with evidence of bone resorption and incomplete bone ossification. Codeine did not demonstrate evidence of embrytoxicity or fetotoxicity in the rabbit model at doses up to 2 times the maximum recommended human dose of 360 mg/day based on a body surface area comparison .
Nonteratogenic effects
Neonatal codeine withdrawal has been observed in infants born to addicted and non-addicted mothers who ingested codeine-containing medications in the days before delivery. Common symptoms of narcotic withdrawal include irritability, excessive crying, tremors, hyperreflexia, seizures, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and poor feeding. These signs may be observed shortly following birth and may require specific treatment .
Codeine (30 mg/kg) given subcutaneously to pregnant rats during gestation and for 25 days after delivery increased the rate of neonatal mortality at birth. The dose given was 0.8 times the maximum recommended human dose of 360 mg/day .
The use in breastfeeding/nursing
Codeine is secreted into human milk. The maternal use of codeine can potentially lead to serious adverse reactions, including death, in nursing infants .
The most prevalent signs and symptoms associated with an overdose of guaifenesin have been nausea and vomiting .
Although adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women have not been performed, the Collaborative Perinatal Project monitored 197 mother-child pairs exposed to guaifenesin during the first trimester . An increased occurrence of inguinal hernias was found in the neonates . However, congenital defects were not strongly associated with guaifenesin use during pregnancy in 2 large groups of mother-child pairs .
Moreover, guaifenesin is excreted in breast milk in small quantities . Subsequently, caution should be exercised by balancing the potential benefit of treatment against any possible risks .
Additionally, an LD50 value of 1510 mg/kg (rat, oral) has been reported for guaifenesin .
The oral LD50 of pseudoephedrine is 2206mg/kg in rats and 726mg/kg in mice.
Patients experiencing an overdose of pseudoephedrine may present with giddiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, sweating, thirst, tachycardia, precordial pain, palpitations, difficulty urinating, muscle weakness, muscle tension, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, toxic psychosis, cardiac arrhythmias, circulatory collapse, convulsions, coma, and respiratory failure. Treat overdose with symptomatic and supportive treatment including removal of unabsorbed drug.
Volume of Distribution
Apparent volume of distribution: about 3-6 L/kg, showing an extensive distribution of the drug into tissues .
The geometric mean apparent volume of distribution of guaifenesin determined in healthy adult subjects is 116L (CV=45.7%) .
The apparent volume of distribution of pseudoephedrin is 2.6-3.3L/kg.
Elimination Route
Absorption
Codeine is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The maximum plasma concentration occurs 60 minutes after administration .
Food Effects
When 60 mg codeine sulfate was given 30 minutes post-ingestion of a high high-calorie meal, there was no significant change in the absorption of codeine .
Steady-state concentration
The administration of 15 mg codeine sulfate every 4 hours for 5 days lead to steady-state concentrations of codeine, morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) within 48 hours .
Studies have shown that guaifenesin is well absorbed from and along the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration .
A 240mg oral dose of pseudoephedrine reaches a Cmax of 246.3±10.5ng/mL fed and 272.5±13.4ng/mL fasted, with a Tmax of 6.60±1.38h fed and 11.87±0.72h fasted, with an AUC of 6862.0±334.1ng*h/mL fed and 7535.1±333.0ng*h/mL fasted.
Half Life
Plasma half-lives of codeine and its metabolites have been reported to be approximately 3 hours .
The half-life in plasma observed for guaifenesin is approximately one hour .
The mean elimination half life of pseudoephedrine is 6.0h.
Clearance
Renal clearance of codeine was 183 +/- 59 ml min-1 in a clinical study .
Renal impairment may decrease codeine clearance .
The mean clearance recorded for guaifenesin is about 94.8 L/hr (CV=51.4%) .
A 60mg oral dose of pseudoephedrine has a clearance of 5.9±1.7mL/min/kg.
Elimination Route
About 90% of the total dose of codeine is excreted by the kidneys. Approximately 10% of the drug excreted by the kidneys is unchanged codeine .
The majority of the excretion products can be found in the urine within 6 hours of ingestion, and 40-60 % of the codeine is excreted free or conjugated, approximately 5 to 15 percent as free and conjugated morphine, and approximately 10-20% free and conjugated norcodeine .
After administration, guaifenesin is metabolized and then largely excreted in the urine .
55-75% of an oral dose is detected in the urine as unchanged pseudoephedrine.
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