What is dextromethorphan?

What is dextromethorphan?

What is dextromethorphan? Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex. Dextromethorphan is used to treat a cough. It is available over-the-counter alone and is also present in many over-the-counter and prescription combination medications.

Is dextromethorphan safe for a 4 year old?

Cough medicine is usually taken only for a short time until your symptoms clear up. Do not give dextromethorphan to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough or cold medicine in very young children.

What are the dangers of dextromethorphan?

Nonmedical abuse of intoxicating substances, including legal or over-the-counter drugs like dextromethorphan, is extremely dangerous. These drugs can cause acute and chronic side effects, including overdose, organ damage, and early death.

Does dextromethorphan (DXM) interact with other medications?

Although dextromethorphan is not an antidepressant, it does act on serotonin pathways in the brain. This is part of why the substance is intoxicating and can cause hallucinations in large doses. It also means that DXM interacts with psychiatric medications, including antidepressants like SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, and MAO inhibitors.

Can you take dextromethorphan for cough?

This product should not usually be used for an ongoing cough from smoking or long-term breathing problems (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema) unless directed by your doctor. This product contains dextromethorphan. It is a cough suppressant that works by decreasing the feeling of needing to cough.

What is the difference between dextromethorphan and pyrilamine?

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant and pyrilamine is an antihistamine. Dextromethorphan and pyrilamine is a combination medicine used to treat cough, runny nose, sneezing, itching, and watery eyes caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

What is dextromethorphan polistirex used for?

Dextromethorphan Polistirex. This medication is used for temporary relief of coughs without phlegm that are caused by certain infections of the air passages (e.g., sinusitis, common cold).

What should I know about guaifenesin and dextromethorphan?

Guaifenesin and dextromethorphan are available in both prescription and nonprescription products. Check the labels of all your medications to make sure you are not taking more than one product containing guaifenesin or dextromethorphan. Guaifenesin can affect the results of certain lab tests (such as urine levels of certain acids).

Is dextromethorphan available over the counter?

Dextromethorphan is available over the counter under many different brand and generic names. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others,…

What is the Merck Index for dextromethorphan?

The Merck Index – An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 535 Dextromethorphan is a common antitussive agent found in many over-the-counter cough and cold preparations.

Does dextromethorphan affect the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis?

The present study characterized the effects of the acute administration of dextromethorphan, dextrorphan, and levorphanol on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the rat and tested the involvement of opioid receptors in the responses produced by dextrorphan and levorphanol.

What is the pharmacokinetics of dextromethorphan hydrobromide?

Pharmacokinetics. The duration of action after oral administration is about three to eight hours for dextromethorphan hydrobromide, and 10 to 12 hours for dextromethorphan polistirex. Around one in 10 of the Caucasian population has little or no CYP2D6 enzyme activity, leading to long-lived high drug levels.