Compoundanalgesicsare those with multipleactive ingredients;they include many of the strongerprescriptionanalgesics.
Active ingredients that have been commonly used in compound analgesics include:
- aspirinoribuprofen
- caffeine
- codeineoroxycodone
- paracetamol(acetaminophen)
- phenacetin
There is evidence that a compound of two analgesics with differentmechanism of actioncan have an increased painkilling effect over the sum of the effect of each individual analgesic.[1]
Several such formulations have disappeared fromover-the-counterstatus in drug store aisles and other retail outlets. One example is APC (aspirin, phenacetin, and caffeine) compound tablets common from the 1940s to 1983; because of harmful side effects of phenacetin,Anacinin the U.S. was reformulated to eliminate it; whileVincent's APCis no longer sold. Some others have been judged to contribute too often tosubstance abuse.[citation needed]
Lenoltecis a compound analgesic that comes in four strengths:
| No. | Acetaminophen mg |
Caffeine mg |
Codeine mg |
DIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300 | 15 | 8 | 00653233[1] |
| 2 | 300 | 15 | 15 | 00653241[2] |
| 3 | 300 | 15 | 30 | 00653276[3] |
| 4 | 300 | 0 | 60 | 00621463[4] |
Another example isBex,a once popularAustraliancompound analgesic which is no longer sold. It contained 42% aspirin, 42% phenacetin, plus caffeine.[2]
The United StatesFood and Drug Administrationalso now requires that manufacturers of compound analgesics unequivocally state each ingredient's purpose.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^Beaver, William T.(1984). "Combination Analgesics".The American Journal of Medicine.77(3). Elsevier BV:38–53.doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(84)80101-1.ISSN0002-9343.PMID6486130.
- ^Powerhouse Museum."Packet of Bex Powders".Powerhouse Museum, Australia.Retrieved10 July2011.
External links
edit- APCdefinition and brief history.
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