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Dextromethorphan Brand Names
AeroTuss | Buckley’s Cough Suppressant | Buckley’s DM | Buckley’s Mixture | Cough DM | Cough Suppressant | Delsym | Delsym Children’s | Delsym Children’s Cough Relief | Dexalone | ElixSure Cough | ElixSure Cough DM | PediaCare Children’s Long Acting Cough | PediaCare Infants’ Long-Acting Cough | PediaCare Long-Acting Cough | Robafen Cough | Robitussin | Robitussin Children’s Cough | Robitussin Cough | Robitussin Lingering Cold | Robitussin Lingering Cold Long-Acting Cough | Robitussin Pediatric Cough | Scot-Tussin CF | Silphen DM | Theraflu Long Acting Cough Strip | Triaminic Long Acting Cough | Triaminic Long Acting Cough Strip | Tylenol Children’s Simply Cough | Vicks DayQuil Cough | Vicks DayQuil Nature Fusion | Vicks Formula 44 | Vicks Nature Fusion Cough | Zicam Concentrated Cough | Zicam Cough Max | Zicam Cough Nite
What is Dextromethorphan
Dextromethorphan is an oral, non-opioid, non-prescription drug used as an antitussive.
Although it is related to the opiate agonists (dextromethorphan is the methyl ether of the d-isomer of the codeine analog levorphanol), dextromethorphan does not exhibit typical opiate agonist characteristics.
The only morphine-like characteristic dextromethorphan retains is its antitussive property. Dextromethorphan is a commonly used ingredient in many cough and cold preparations, and the drug is useful in treating chronic, nonproductive cough, but it has no expectorant activity.
When ingested at recommended dosage levels for intended purposes, dextromethorphan is generally regarded as a safe and effective cough suppressant, particularly for patients with cough due to chronic bronchitis or COPD; the evidence for the drug’s utility for suppressing cough due to upper respiratory infection (URI) is less robust.
Dextromethorphan has been identified as an antagonist to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors.
Dextromethorphan has been studied in the treatment of pain including cancer pain, postoperative pain, and neuropathic pain with mixed results and, in some cases, intolerable side effects.
The FDA originally approved dextromethorphan in 1954.
Indications
- cough
- diabetic neuropathy
For temporary relief of cough; especially useful for non-productive cough due to minor throat and bronchial irritation associated with the common cold, inhaled irritants, or chronic bronchitis
Side Effects
- anaphylactoid reactions
- ataxia
- coma
- confusion
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dysarthria
- dystonic reaction
- fatigue
- hallucinations
- irritability
- nausea
- nystagmus
- psychosis
- rash
- respiratory depression
- restlessness
- seizures
- serotonin syndrome
- sinus tachycardia
- urticaria
- vomiting
Monitoring Parameters
- laboratory monitoring not necessary
Contraindications
- asthma
- breast-feeding
- children
- driving or operating machinery
- emphysema
- geriatric
- hepatic disease
- infants
- MAOI therapy
- pregnancy
- tobacco smoking
Interactions
- Abiraterone
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Acetaminophen; Codeine
- Alfentanil
- Amiodarone
- Amlodipine; Celecoxib
- Artemether; Lumefantrine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol; Codeine
- Atazanavir; Cobicistat
- Atropine; Benzoic Acid; Hyoscyamine; Methenamine; Methylene Blue; Phenyl Salicylate
- Benzoic Acid; Hyoscyamine; Methenamine; Methylene Blue; Phenyl Salicylate
- Buprenorphine
- Buprenorphine; Naloxone
- Celecoxib
- Chlorpheniramine; Codeine
- Cinacalcet
- Citalopram
- Clobazam
- Cobicistat
- Codeine
- Codeine; Guaifenesin
- Codeine; Phenylephrine; Promethazine
- Codeine; Promethazine
- Dacomitinib
- Darifenacin
- Darunavir; Cobicistat
- Darunavir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Delavirdine
- Desvenlafaxine
- Donepezil; Memantine
- Dronedarone
- Duloxetine
- Eliglustat
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Escitalopram
- Fedratinib
- Fentanyl
- Fluoxetine
- Fluoxetine; Olanzapine
- Fluvoxamine
- Givosiran
- grapefruit juice
- Hyoscyamine; Methenamine; Methylene Blue; Phenyl Salicylate; Sodium Biphosphate
- Imatinib
- Isocarboxazid
- Lasmiditan
- Levomilnacipran
- Linezolid
- Lorcaserin
- Memantine
- Methenamine; Sodium Acid Phosphate; Methylene Blue; Hyoscyamine
- Methylene Blue
- Milnacipran
- Mirabegron
- Mirtazapine
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
- Nefazodone
- Oritavancin
- Panobinostat
- Paroxetine
- Pazopanib
- Peginterferon Alfa-2b
- Phenelzine
- Procarbazine
- Propafenone
- Quinine
- Rasagiline
- Rolapitant
- Safinamide
- Selegiline
- Serotonin-Receptor Agonists
- Sertraline
- Sibutramine
- St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum
- Tedizolid
- Terbinafine
- Tocilizumab
- Tranylcypromine
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Vemurafenib
- Venlafaxine
- Vilazodone
- Vortioxetine
