Antipyrine and benzocaine ear drops is a medication for the treatment of ear pain caused by otitis media. It combines antipyrine, an NSAID, and benzocaine, a local anaesthetic in order to treat ear pain, alongside hydroxyquinoline sulfate, an antiseptic and preservative. Its trade names include Auralgan, Aurodex, Auroto, [1] among others, and is abbreviated as A/B otic drops.
A/B otic drops is indicated for ear pain caused by otitis media. It is used every 2–3 hours as needed for pain. [2]
A/B otic drops is also indicated for the removal of excessive or impacted cerumen. To clear cerumen, it is used 3 times a day for 2–3 days. [2]
Each 1 ml of A/B otic drops contains: [2]
A/B otic drops are effective because antipyrine reduces pain and inflammation and benzocaine numbs the ear.
In 2008, Auralgan was reformulated to include acetic acid and U-polycosanol 410, in addition to antipyrine and benzocaine. Due to this reformulation, pharmacies could no longer substitute the generic antipyrine/benzocaine drops for a prescription written as "Auralgan". The price for the new formulation was roughly $150.00 compared to the generic price of $2.00. [3]
In 2015, in accordance with their initiative to remove unapproved prescription drugs from the market, the FDA mandated that companies stop manufacturing this drug or be subject to criminal charges. The FDA has not evaluated this drug for safety, effectiveness or quality and has concerns about inappropriate dosing and risk of contamination during the manufacturing process. [4] The FDA adverse event reporting database does not have any known cases of adverse events where Auralgan is the primary suspect. [5]
The United States Food and Drug Administration is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, caffeine products, dietary supplements, prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs (medications), vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, blood transfusions, medical devices, electromagnetic radiation emitting devices (ERED), cosmetics, animal foods & feed and veterinary products.
Colchicine is a medication used to prevent and treat gout, to treat familial Mediterranean fever and Behçet's disease, and to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction. The American College of Rheumatology recommends colchicine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or steroids in the treatment of gout. Other uses for colchicine include the management of pericarditis.
Chondroitin sulfate is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) composed of a chain of alternating sugars. It is usually found attached to proteins as part of a proteoglycan. A chondroitin chain can have over 100 individual sugars, each of which can be sulfated in variable positions and quantities. Chondroitin sulfate is an important structural component of cartilage, and provides much of its resistance to compression. Along with glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate has become a widely used dietary supplement for treatment of osteoarthritis, although large clinical trials failed to demonstrate any symptomatic benefit of chondroitin.
Benzocaine, sold under the brand name Orajel amongst others, is a local anesthetic, belonging to the amino ester drug class, commonly used as a topical painkiller or in cough drops. It is the active ingredient in many over-the-counter anesthetic ointments such as products for oral ulcers. It is combined with antipyrine to form A/B ear drops. In the US, products containing benzocaine for oral application are contraindicated in children younger than two years old. In the European Union, the contraindication applies to children under 12 years of age.
Alosetron, sold under the brand name Lotronex among others, is a 5-HT3 antagonist used for the management of severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in females only.
Ofloxacin is a quinolone antibiotic useful for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. When taken by mouth or injection into a vein, these include pneumonia, cellulitis, urinary tract infections, prostatitis, plague, and certain types of infectious diarrhea. Other uses, along with other medications, include treating multidrug resistant tuberculosis. An eye drop may be used for a superficial bacterial infection of the eye and an ear drop may be used for otitis media when a hole in the ear drum is present.
Phenazone is an analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drug. While it predates the term, it is often classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Phenazone was one of the earliest synthetic medications — when it was patented in 1883, the only synthetic medical chemicals on the market were chloral hydrate, a sedative, trimethylamine, and iodol (tetraiodopyrrol), an early antiseptic. One of the earliest widely used analgesics and antipyretics, phenazone was gradually replaced in common use by other medications including phenacetin, aspirin, paracetamol and modern NSAIDs such as ibuprofen. However, it is still available in several countries either as an over-the-counter or prescribed drug.
Burow's solution is an aqueous solution of aluminium triacetate. It is available in the U.S. as an over-the-counter drug for topical administration, with brand names including Domeboro, Domeboro Otic, Star-Otic, and Borofair. The preparation has astringent and antibacterial properties and may be used to treat a number of skin conditions, including insect bites and stings, rashes caused by poison ivy and poison sumac, swelling, allergies, and bruises. However, its main use is for treatment of otitis, including otomycosis.
Ciprofloxacin/dexamethasone (Ciprodex) is an antibiotic/steroid combination medication. It contains the synthetic broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (0.3%), combined with the anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, dexamethasone (0.1%), in a sterile, preserved suspension for otic use.
Ear drops are a form of topical medication for the ears used to treat infection, inflammation, impacted ear wax and local anesthesia. They are commonly used for short-term treatment and can be purchased with or without a prescription. Before using ear drops, refer to the package insert or consult a health professional for the amount of drops to use and the duration of treatment.
Neomycin/polymyxin B/hydrocortisone, sold under the brand Otosporin among others, is a medication used to treat otitis externa and certain eye disorders. It consists of the antibiotics neomycin and polymyxin B, and the steroid hydrocortisone. It is used as an ear drop or eye drop.
Obetrol was the brand name of a drug combining several amphetamine salts indicated for the treatment of exogenous obesity. It was originally sold by the American company Obetrol Pharmaceuticals. Obetrol was a popular diet pill in America in the 1950s and 1960s.
Cefditoren, also known as cefditoren pivoxil is an antibiotic used to treat infections caused by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to other antibiotics. It is mainly used for treatment of community acquired pneumonia. It is taken by mouth and is in the cephalosporin family of antibiotics, which is part of the broader beta-lactam group of antibiotics.
Donnatal is a combination medication that provides natural belladonna alkaloids in a specific fixed ratio combined with phenobarbital to provide peripheral anticholinergic/antispasmodic action and mild sedation. Donnatal is manufactured for Concordia Pharmaceuticals by IriSys, LLC. It is available as tablets and 5 mL elixir. Active ingredients are listed as: phenobarbital (16.2 mg), hyoscyamine sulfate (0.1037 mg), atropine sulfate (0.0194 mg), and scopolamine hydrobromide (0.0065 mg). The latter two ingredients are found in plants of the family Solanaceae, such as belladonna.
President of the United States George W. Bush signed the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA) on September 27, 2007. This law reviewed, expanded, and reaffirmed several existing pieces of legislation regulating the FDA. These changes allow the FDA to perform more comprehensive reviews of potential new drugs and devices. It was sponsored by Reps. Joe Barton and Frank Pallone and passed unanimously by the Senate.
B&O Supprettes is the brand name for a prescription medication containing powdered opium and belladonna alkaloids in a suppository form. They are indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain from urethral spasm, and for extending the interval(s) between injections of opiates. The drug has various "off label" uses, including renal colic, intestinal cramps, tenesmus and diarrhea. They are also often prescribed after urinary bladder surgery. B&O Supprettes was unique in the United States because they were the only drug containing opium that is for suppository use sold in the US and, in fact, one of the very few medications that contains opium in any form in the US along with paregoric and opium tincture (laudanum).
Cetacaine is a topical anesthetic that contains the active ingredients benzocaine (14%), butamben (2%), and tetracaine hydrochloride (2%). Cetacaine also contains small amounts of benzalkonium chloride at 0.5% and 0.005% of cetyl dimethyl ethyl ammonium bromide all in a bland water-soluble base. Although Cetacaine has been widely used in the medical and dental fields, it has yet to be officially approved by the FDA. Cetacaine is produced by the company Cetylite Industries, Inc. and they provide Cetacaine in three forms: liquid, gel, and spray.
Finafloxacin (Xtoro) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. In the United States, it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat acute otitis externa caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.
Janet Woodcock is an American physician serving as Principal Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs, having previously served as Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She joined the FDA in 1986, and has held a number of senior leadership positions there, including terms as the Director of Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) from 1994 to 2004 and 2007 to 2021.
A cerumenolytic is an ear wax (cerumen) softening agent. Common cerumenolytics such as hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide - urea are topical preparations used to facilitate the removal of ear wax. Their side effects tend to be mild, including ear discomfort, transient loss of hearing, dizziness, and local irritation.