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Corex is a cough syrup sold by Pfizer Inc. [1] It is available in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and a few other South Asian countries. Corex is a prescribed medicine. Its active ingredients are chlorpheniramine maleate and codeine phosphate. [1]
Chlorpheniramine maleate, an H1-blocking antihistamine, relieves histamine-induced allergic edema of respiratory mucosa. Codeine phosphate, by its action on the cough center in the medulla, helps reduce excessive frequency and intensity of cough bouts, which allows the patient to rest or sleep.
Legally, Corex can only be obtained by a physician's prescription, but studies show that more than 90% of the product is sold without one.
Corex is not generally a fatal drug substitute, unless taken in extremely high quantities. However, many side effects are common. Corex is known to cause short term memory loss, sleeplessness, tremors and spasms. Muscular pains and dehydration are other common side-effects.
Long term abuse leads to serious kidney damage or constipation. Corex has a high sugar content, and may be unsuitable for acute diabetic patients.
Dextromethorphan, or DXM, a common active ingredient found in many over-the-counter cough suppressant cold medicines, is used as a recreational drug and entheogen for its dissociative effects. It has almost no psychoactive effects at medically recommended doses. However, dextromethorphan has powerful dissociative properties when administered in doses well above those considered therapeutic for cough suppression. Recreational use of DXM is sometimes referred to in slang form as "robo-tripping", whose prefix derives from the Robitussin brand name, or "Triple Cs", which derives from the Coricidin brand whose tablets are printed with "CC+C" for "Coricidin Cough and Cold". However, this brand presents additional danger when used at recreational doses due to the presence of chlorpheniramine.
Cold medicines are a group of medications taken individually or in combination as a treatment for the symptoms of the common cold and similar conditions of the upper respiratory tract. The term encompasses a broad array of drugs, including analgesics, antihistamines and decongestants, among many others. It also includes drugs which are marketed as cough suppressants or antitussives, but their effectiveness in reducing cough symptoms is unclear or minimal.
Brompheniramine, sold under the brand name Dimetapp among others, is a first-generation antihistamine drug of the propylamine (alkylamine) class. It is indicated for the treatment of the symptoms of the common cold and allergic rhinitis, such as runny nose, itchy eyes, watery eyes, and sneezing. Like the other first-generation drugs of its class, it is considered a sedating antihistamine.
Benadryl is a brand of various antihistamine medications used to stop allergies, whose content varies in different countries, but which includes some combination of diphenhydramine, acrivastine, and/or cetirizine.
Promethazine, sold under the brand name Phenergan among others, is a first-generation antihistamine, antipsychotic, sedative, and antiemetic used to treat allergies, insomnia, and nausea. It may also help with some symptoms associated with the common cold and may also be used for sedating people who are agitated or anxious, an effect that has led to some recreational use. Promethazine is taken by mouth (oral), as a rectal suppository, or by injection into a muscle (IM).
Dihydrocodeine is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic prescribed for pain or severe dyspnea, or as an antitussive, either alone or compounded with paracetamol (acetaminophen) or aspirin. It was developed in Germany in 1908 and first marketed in 1911.
Codeine/paracetamol, also called codeine/acetaminophen and co-codamol, is a compound analgesic, comprising codeine phosphate and paracetamol (acetaminophen). Codeine/paracetamol is used for the relief of mild to moderate pain when paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone do not sufficiently relieve symptoms.
Coricidin, Coricidin 'D' (decongestant), or Coricidin HBP, is the name of an over-the-counter cough and cold drug containing dextromethorphan and chlorpheniramine maleate. Introduced by Schering-Plough in 1949 as one of the first antihistamines, it is now owned by Bayer. Varieties of Coricidin may also contain acetaminophen and guaifenesin.
Quinapril, sold under the brand name Accupril by the Pfizer corporation. It a medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease. It is a first line treatment for high blood pressure. It is taken by mouth.
Benylin is a brand name owned by Kenvue for a range of cough, cold and flu medications. Some Benylin products also contain codeine, which is used to treat pain, cough and diarrhea.
Dorzolamide/timolol, sold under the brand name Cosopt among others, is a medication used to treat high pressure inside the eye including glaucoma. It is a combination of dorzolamide hydrochloride and timolol maleate. It may be used when a beta blocker, like timolol, is not sufficient alone. It is used as an eye drop.
Lean or purple drank is a polysubstance drink used as a recreational drug. It is prepared by mixing prescription-grade cough or cold syrup containing codeine and promethazine with a soft drink and sugar candy. The beverage originated in Houston as early as the 1960s and is popular in hip hop culture, especially within the Southern United States.
Thebacon, or dihydrocodeinone enol acetate, is a semisynthetic opioid that is similar to hydrocodone and is most commonly synthesised from thebaine. Thebacon was invented in Germany in 1924, four years after the first synthesis of hydrocodone. Thebacon is a derivative of acetyldihydrocodeine, where only the 6–7 double bond is saturated. Thebacon is marketed as its hydrochloride salt under the trade name Acedicon, and as its bitartrate under Diacodin and other trade names. The hydrochloride salt has a free base conversion ratio of 0.846. Other salts used in research and other settings include thebacon's phosphate, hydrobromide, citrate, hydroiodide, and sulfate.
Nicocodeine is an opioid analgesic and cough suppressant, an ester of codeine closely related to dihydrocodeine and the codeine analogue of nicomorphine. It is not commonly used in most countries, but has activity similar to other opiates. Nicocodeine and nicomorphine were synthesized in 1904, and introduced in 1957 by Lannacher Heilmittel of Austria. Nicocodeine is metabolised in the liver by demethylation to produce nicomorphine, also known as 6-nicotinoylmorphine, and subsequently further metabolised to morphine. Side effects are similar to those of other opiates and include itching, nausea and respiratory depression. Related opioid analogues such as nicomorphine and nicodicodeine were first synthesized. The definitive synthesis, which involves treating anhydrous codeine base with nicotinic anhydride at 130 °C, was published by Pongratz and Zirm in Monatshefte für Chemie in 1957, simultaneously with the two analogues in an article about amides and esters of various organic acids.
Pentoxyverine (rINN) or carbetapentane is an antitussive commonly used for cough associated with illnesses like common cold. It is sold over-the-counter as Solotuss, or in combination with other medications, especially decongestants. One such product is Certuss, a combination of guaifenesin and pentoxyverine. The drug has been available in the form of drops, suspensions and suppositories.
Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. It is typically used to treat mild to moderate degrees of pain. Greater benefit may occur when combined with paracetamol (acetaminophen) or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Evidence does not support its use for acute cough suppression in children or adults. In Europe, it is not recommended as a cough medicine in those under 12 years of age. It is generally taken by mouth. It typically starts working after half an hour, with maximum effect at two hours. Its effects last for about four to six hours. Codeine exhibits abuse potential similar to other opioid medications, including a risk of habituation and overdose.
Butamirate is a cough suppressant. It has been marketed in Europe and Mexico, but not in the United States.
Oxeladin is a cough suppressant. It is a highly potent and effective drug used to treat all types of cough of various etiologies. It is not related to opium or its derivatives, so treatment with oxeladin is free of risk of dependence or addiction. Oxeladin has none of the side effects which are present when common antitussives, such as codeine and its derivatives, are used. It may be used at every age, as well as in patients with heart disease, since it has a high level of safety and a great selectivity to act on the bulbar centre of cough.
An opiate is an alkaloid substance derived from opium. It differs from the similar term opioid in that the latter is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain. Opiates are alkaloid compounds naturally found in the opium poppy plant Papaver somniferum. The psychoactive compounds found in the opium plant include morphine, codeine, and thebaine. Opiates have long been used for a variety of medical conditions, with evidence of opiate trade and use for pain relief as early as the eighth century AD. Most opiates are considered drugs with moderate to high abuse potential and are listed on various "Substance-Control Schedules" under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act of the United States of America.